What I'm Watching From Kingston Flemings This Preseason (And How It Impacts the Atlanta Hawks)

The Atlanta Hawks got younger this offseason and one way they did that was by drafting three rookies in what was seen as a loaded 2026 NBA Draft Class. Atlanta, courtesy of a great trade made with the New Orleans Pelicans, ended up with the No. 8 pick in this year's draft and they chose to select Houston point guard Kingston Flemings, who was widely seen as the best pure point guard in this draft.

With Atlanta trading Trae Young in January, there was a hole on this roster when it came to having a point guard. CJ McCollum did more than anyone could have expected after being acquired from the Wizards, but he is not a traditional point guard and is not a high-level passer, nor is Nickeil Alexander-Walker, another pleasant surprise for this team.

The Hawks acquired Gabe Vincent at the trade deadline, but he is more of a 3-and-D type of guard than an actual point guard and is not a real long-term solution.

Flemings impressed during Summer League, showing real vision on the court and the ability to make good decisions, especially when leading the fast break, which is a critical part of the way the Hawks play. His speed, passing ability, and willingness to play defense make him a good fit for this roster.

Looking to the preseason

Going back even a couple of weeks ago, there were some questions over whether Flemings would be in the rotation, at least to start the season. Atlanta had veteran options on the bench, with Devin Carter and Ryan Nembhard, and any Hawks fan knows that head coach Quin Snyder loves to play veterans over rookies. That led to some speculation about Flemings role with the team, at least to start the season, but then the Hawks waived Carter and traded Nembhard to Charlotte.

What I want to see is if Flemings is one of the top four players off the bench and if he is used as the backup point guard.

The top three playres off the bench are almost assuredly going to be Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Jock Landale. That is a strong trio that is going to play plenty of minutes for the Hawks and while I do think that there is some on-ball creation that Wiggins has not tapped into just yet in his career, he is not a point guard.

I want to see Snyder bring in Flemings when either CJ McCollum or Nickeil Alexander-Walker heads to the bench and give him a chance to run the offense. I don't want him out there with just bench players, but the more Flemings can do now, the more it will help him as the season goes along.

How he shoots the ball and how he can finish at the rim are also going to be very important. That was a flaw of Flemings during his time at Houston and he struggled a bit with it during Summer League, as impressive as he was. Can he show the ability to hit shots and put pressure on the rim? If so, he will elevate his role on this team quickly.

You can expect for rookie guards to struggle, but Flemings has a chance to be a perfect fit for this Hawks roster and quickly.

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