Five on Five: Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets

Many around the league and in the NBA media have lauded the Atlanta Hawks for the work they did this summer. They made aggressive moves and should be a vastly improved team. Things got started with the big three-team trade that landed the Hawks Kristaps Porzingis and they continued into the actual free agent period. Atlanta signed arguably the top free agent on the market when they inked former Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker to a four-year $62 million deal and then free agent sharpshooter Luke Kennard signed a one-year 11$ million deal.

At this time in the offseason, it's useful to see how the Hawks' expected starting lineup stacks up against the rest of the NBA. It makes the most sense to first compare them to their Eastern Conference counterparts before moving on to the West.

So, how does Atlanta's 2025-26 starting five compare to that of the Charlotte Hornets?

Point Guard: Trae Young vs LaMelo Ball

LaMelo Ball, Young, Trae Young, Ball, Hawks, Hornets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornet — Mar 12, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) shoots against Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mady Mertens-Imagn Images | Mady Mertens-Imagn Images

Although there aren't many guards who can match Young as a ball-handler and scorer, a healthy version of LaMelo Ball belongs in that conversation. His defensive effort is lackadasical and he's had a lot of trouble staying on the court, but his passing vision and combo of size and scoring are almost entirely unique. He ranked in the 96th percentile for AST% among all guards last season, which is very impressive. However, Young finished in the 100th percentile in the same stat and plays more games. Trae also has more of a postseason resume, so it's hard to put Ball over Young at this stage in their careers.

Advantage: Trae Young

Shooting Guard: Dyson Daniels vs Collin Sexton

Dyson Daniels, Daniels, Hawks, Atlanta Hawks, Hornets, Charlotte Hornet — Mar 18, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) drives to the basket against Charlotte Hornets guard DaQuan Jeffries (3) during second quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Sexton may not be a great piece on a contender, but he's still a very useful player for most teams. The 6'3 guard shot a career-best 40.6% from deep on 4.3 attempts a game for the Jazz and averaged 18 points as a starter. He's a solid secondary ball-handler and should be an upgrade for the Hornets over what they had at that spot last year. That being said, Daniels is still the better player. He's one of the best perimeter defenders in basketball and has shown tons of growth as a ball-handler. Sexton might have a flashier skillset, but Daniels is the more complete player.

Advantage: Dyson Daniels

Small Forward: Miles Bridges vs Zaccharie Risacher

Risacher, Zaccharie Risacher, Hornets, Charlotte Hornet — Mar 18, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) looks to shoot guarded by Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (5) during first quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

While Risacher came on in the second half of the season and looked like an excellent 3&D wing when playing off of Trae Young, Bridges is more proven and has been a capable third option in his career. He's a better defender than Risacher at the moment, so he has the edge on the young French forward in that department as well. I think Risacher can be better than Bridges, especially considering the veteran's struggles as a shooter and Risacher's play in EuroBasket. However, he needs more time to develop.

Advantage: Miles Bridges

Power Forward: Jalen Johnson vs Brandon Miller

Jalen Johnson, Miles Bridges, Hawks, Atlanta Hawks, Hawks, Hornets, Charlotte Hornet — Oct 25, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) jumps for the basket against Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

I think this is a surprisingly close matchup because both players have a ton of potential. Johnson is a phenomenal talent who can handle the ball, rebound at an elite level and even create some of his own offense. He's consistently struggled to stay healthy, but there's no doubt he's one of the best young forwards in the NBA. However, it's worth remembering how good Miller is despite only playing in 27 games last year. He's shown signs of being a high-level scorer and has tons of defensive flashes to go with it. I'd still give Johnson the advantage because he has an elite skill, but it's more of a conversation than one might expect.

Advantage: Jalen Johnson

Center: Kristaps Porzingis vs Ryan Kalkbrenner/Moussa Diabate

Porzingis, Kristaps Porzingis, Celtics, Boston Celtics, Hornets, Charlotte Hornet — Apr 11, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) shoots over Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. (8) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Kalkbrenner might be a solid starting center one day, but he's a rookie and hasn't faced anyone who brings the combination of rim protection and shooting Porzingis offers. Diabate is a great rebounder, but he's still growing on both ends of the court. Porzingis just put up 34 points and 19 rebounds in an elimination game for Latvia - there's no reason to doubt his ability to put up similar numbers against a thin Hornets' center group.