The One Bet The Atlanta Hawks Are Making on Player Development

The Hawks are making a big bet on player development to raise their ceiling this season

Feb 11, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) handles the ball defended by Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) during first quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Atlanta Hawks take a lot of pride in their player development, and it guided their offseason decision-making this summer.

After the Hawks' embarrassing Game Six loss to the New York Knicks, there was a lot of speculation about what the Hawks could do with their roster after that result, but Atlanta's President of Basketball Operations, Onsi Saleh, was steadfast in his belief that the Hawks' best path forward to making themselves a contender was continued development for their players instead of going all-in on a move:

"We are not one player away from this, the best iteration of this team is going to be through development and our players currently getting better. We're really excited about the future and what holds there, from the draft to the flexibility moving forward, all that stuff. We're in a good place, position set up moving forward, and our coaching staff has just been remarkable this year."

Atlanta is not just making a player development on one player this season, but it is a bet on this roster.

Big Bet

Apr 20, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) reacts during the first quarter of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When you look at four of the Hawks starters for this season, they are four of the best player development stories in the NBA.

Jalen Johnson has gotten better in each season since Quin Snyder arrived as the head coach and last season, which was his healthiest one in his NBA career, led to him getting his first All-Star nod and a Third Team All-NBA placement. He is one of the best all-around young forwards in the league and Atlanta is betting on him continuing that development this season into potentially a Top-10 player in the league.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker was set to be a bench player for the Hawks last season but he was inserted into the starting lineup when Trae Young went down and spiked his scoring average from 9.4 PPG to 20.8 PPG, shooting 46% from the field and 40% from three. On top of being a skilled defender, NAW took major strides last season and could have another one in store. He enters the year as the starter and knowing that heading into the year could be a big boost for him.

When Atlanta traded Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans, Dyson Daniels was treated as a throw-in for the deal. The Hawks got the better player in the deal and he has been a big success story in terms of development. Can Daniels find a way to improve his three-point shooting to go along with his elite defensive skills? That is a big question for the Hawks heading into the year.

Onyeka Okongwu has steadily gotten better since being drafted 6th overall in 2020 and his ability to stretch the floor last season opened up Atlanta's offense. Okongwu shot 37.2% from deep on 5.2 attempts per game and if that is not a fluke, he could take an All-Star leap.

Mouhamed Gueye was a very raw prospect when the Hawks took him in the second round three years ago, and he has turned into a viable rotation player with elite defensive skills. There is still plenty of development needed on offense, but Gueye is another success story for the Hawks.

Saleh and Snyder are hoping that their player development skills can get the best seasons from Aaron Wiggins, Asa Newell, and the rookies. That would help their depth and raise their ceiling as a team.

Is this bet on player development a smart strategy for the Hawks? Given the track record of the staff and front office, I would say so. When you look at how the Thunder and Spurs were build (especially the Thunder), a big part of what made their teams special was not just draft luck, but developing players. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was developed into an MVP candidate, Jalen Williams is a second team All-NBA player, and players like Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, and others make them arguably the deepest team in the league.

The Hawks are following that model to an extent. They are hoping Jalen Johnson can develop into that kind of MVP-level player while the younger players can continue getting better and provide this team with star power and depth.