How the Brooklyn Nets Can Follow the Atlanta Hawks' Blueprint

The Brooklyn Nets have had stretches where their defense has looked elite.

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 | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks have primarily been a play-in team over the past few seasons.

When the team decided to trade Trae Young to the Washington Wizards, many expected the Hawks to take a step back.

However, the Hawks now find themselves in a position to potentially take down the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, with CJ McCollum carrying the scoring load and Atlanta's size and length on the perimeter making life difficult for New York defensively.

Many of the defensive principles the Hawks implement mirror Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernández's principles on that side of the floor, with heavy switches, double teams, and fullcourt pressure.

The Nets have had stretches where their defense has looked elite, but it hasn't always been able to hold up because some of their rotational regulars have some glaring weaknesses on that side of the floor.

Still, the principles are in motion and the Nets seem intent on doubling down on those defensive philosophies that helped them boast the league's best defensive rating in December.

At the point of attack, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels have made life incredibly tough for Jalen Brunson. Johnson and Jonathan Kuminga have also been able to handle bigger opponents, such as Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby, using their size and length to stay in front of both guys on drives to the rim while killing their momentum.

Are the Hawks, as currently constructed, a legitimate championship contender? No, but their disruptive halfcourt defense and late game defensive execution preventing Brunson from getting to his spot is exactly how they've been able to make life difficult for a team that's firmly in the championship race.

The Hawks don't have a bonafide superstar, but they have enough capable scorers and a strong enough defensive identity to make games competitve, which are important principles to develop before a true superstar comes to town.

The bottom line is that the Hawks have been able to build this team in such a short amount of time by making bold trades and taking a chance on lesser name free agents and draft picks.

The Nets are almost certainly not going to be a true contender next season, but they have enough pieces, draft picks, and cap space to where they can steal some material from Atlanta's playbook and be in a similar position as the Hawks as soon as next season.