One Offseason Mistake the Atlanta Hawks May Already Be Regretting

The Hawks have to be regretting this offseason move or lack there of.

Apr 23, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) celebrates with forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) after a victory over the New York Knicks in game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This offseason, the Atlanta Hawks decided they weren't trying to jump into contention right away and wanted to see what they could do after last season's shocking turnaround. However, the fanbase is not very receptive to that idea, and many have voiced their opinions on social media over the last few months, seeing how the rest of the Eastern Conference has improved.

While doing this, the Hawks have made some questionable moves that have left many fans questioning the potential outlook for the season. Personally, I feel the same way in terms of being excited to see what the Hawks can do in terms of competing, especially with some of the roster deficiencies they have.

I understand the idea of not trying to rush the rebuild to see what the roster has, but there still has to be some sense of urgency. The Hawks have been consistently in this same spot for the past decade-plus and, outside of Trae Young, haven't had a true superstar-caliber player who made the Hawks watch-worthy on the national stage.

While Jalen Johnson has the potential to be that, Atlanta still has to be somewhat concerned about how far he can take them after the postseason. However, there are other problems that need to be addressed.

Let's take a look at one of the offseason moves the Hawks regret making.

What offseason mistake are the Hawks regretting?

Apr 30, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Tony Bradley (13) blocks the shot of New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek (13) in the second half during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After an offseason with minimal movement, the Hawks still haven't addressed the center position reasonably. After drafting essentially two big men, one of them went down with a torn ACL with that being Henri Veesar, months after being drafted.

Since then, Atlanta hasn't really been in talks to land another big man, which leaves speculation that they will likely go into the season with the same issues as before. And as we've seen during the playoffs and last regular season, this is looking to be another rough season guarding the paint.

At the NBA Draft, Atlanta looked like they could land Aday Mara, as they desperately needed a franchise-potential big man who could do it all on both ends. Instead, they opted for a franchise point guard, and even then, they decided to trade another point guard to clear up minutes for Kingston Flemings.

All of these moves make it clear that this season will focus on roster development and ongoing struggles in the same areas. That could be a regret for the Hawks.