The Atlanta Hawks enter the new season with a retooled roster and renewed optimism after losing Trae Young and Zaccharie Risacher. With Jalen Johnson coming off a breakout season and several key additions strengthening the roster, Atlanta is entering camp with greater depth, defensive firepower, and flexibility.
Key Takeaways
- Dyson Daniels and Lu Dort give Atlanta two All-Defensive first-team players capable of disrupting opposing stars.
- Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins bring championship experience from the 2025 Oklahoma City Thunder.
- Jalen Johnson is ready to build on his breakout All-Star season after learning from Atlanta's first-round playoff exit.
- The Hawks still have a question mark at center following Henri Veesaar's season-ending knee injury.
- Atlanta's roster and payroll flexibility give the team multiple options throughout the season and ahead of the trade deadline.
Daniels and Dort Give Hawks a Defensive Edge
When an opposing team's leading scorer faces Atlanta this season, he could have a particularly difficult matchup. The Hawks now have Dyson Daniels and newly acquired Lu Dort, two All-Defensive first-team players with the ability to pressure ball-handlers, disrupt passing lanes, and make elite scorers work for every basket.
Daniels and Dort give Atlanta the rare combination of two elite perimeter defenders who can take on difficult assignments without creating an obvious mismatch when they switch. Daniels led the league in steals in 2025 and finished second last season, while Dort routinely handled the toughest defensive assignments in Oklahoma City. Dort was named to the 2025 All-Defensive first team, while Daniels also made the second team last season.
The Hawks can add another dangerous perimeter defender in Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the reigning Most Improved Player. Alexander-Walker is particularly familiar with Dort, with both players coming from Canada and representing the national team before competing against each other in the NBA.
"He doesn't have that fear," Alexander-Walker said of Dort. "He keeps coming. The thing about Lu is he doesn't back down." Dort also welcomed the opportunity to work alongside Daniels. "I can't wait to learn from him. We can learn from each other," he said.
Hawks Add Championship Experience
The deals that brought Dort and Aaron Wiggins to Atlanta also gave the young Hawks something they were missing last season: experience from a championship team. Both players played major roles on Oklahoma City's 2025 championship team, and Snyder believes their experience through that development process can benefit Atlanta's younger players.
"Anytime you can add players that have been part of that development process, which those guys went through at OKC, the fact that they have that experience, is something our guys can tap into … that's one of the reasons we wanted to add them to our team," Snyder said.
Wiggins enjoyed his best season during Oklahoma City's championship campaign, averaging 12 points in 23 minutes as a valuable reserve, before seeing his numbers decline across the board in 2025-26. Dort also experienced some statistical declines, particularly as a shooter, but both players are still just 27 years old, and Atlanta remains confident they can contribute.
Dort plans to bring the same competitive mentality he developed with the Thunder. "The talent and potential is here," he said. "I'm not the biggest vocal guy but when I say something, I mean it."
Wiggins sees similarities between Atlanta's current situation and his early years in Oklahoma City. "There’s the excitement and the feeling of wanting to be a better team," he said. "I bring that energy which is contagious. Everyone (here) wants to win."
Jalen Johnson Ready to Take Another Step
Jalen Johnson experienced a dramatic rise last season, earning his first All-Star selection after going from a former G-Leaguer to Atlanta's franchise centerpiece at just 24 years old.
His season ended on a more difficult note, however, as the Hawks were eliminated by the eventual champion Knicks in the first round after taking a 2-1 series lead. Johnson struggled during stretches of the series, making the playoff defeat an important part of his development as the player Atlanta now expects to lead the team.
"I learned a lot from the playoffs," Johnson said. "There was a lot I took away from it, good and bad. It was hard for me to watch, and something I didn't want to watch."
Johnson averaged more than 22 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists during the regular season and helped Atlanta go 20-6 after the All-Star break. The Hawks expected that production to carry into the postseason, but Johnson had stretches where he became less aggressive and allowed CJ McCollum to take on many of the important moments against New York.
"At the end of the day, I want to win championships," Johnson said. "Playoffs is where you need to be at your best."
Center Remains a Question Mark
Atlanta strengthened its depth, defense, and backcourt during the offseason, but the center position remains less settled. Onyeka Okongwu, listed at 6-foot-10, is once again expected to handle most of the minutes in the middle.
The Hawks also suffered a setback when second-round pick and seven-footer Henri Veesaar suffered a season-ending knee injury during offseason workouts. Snyder did not appear overly concerned about the situation, pointing instead to Atlanta's ability to prevent opponents from consistently reaching the paint.
"Rim protection can be an important thing, and rim prevention can also be important," Snyder said.
There have also been reports linking the Hawks to Jalen Duren, the Pistons' center who has not reported to Detroit's camp while awaiting a new contract.
Flexibility Could Define Atlanta's Season
When Saleh took over the Hawks' top personnel role a summer ago, the goal was to keep Atlanta prepared for different possibilities on and off the court. Snyder has multiple lineups available and can adjust his rotation based on opponents and matchups, while the Hawks' depth allows them to play with different styles.
"We really do feel like we got better," Saleh said. "We're going to be a very competitive team this season. That's the expectation."
The Hawks also have significant financial flexibility. Dort, CJ McCollum, and Jock Landale are all on expiring contracts, while no player on the roster earns more than $30 million per season. Atlanta also remains well below the apron threshold.
That combination of roster depth and financial flexibility gives the Hawks multiple options as the season progresses, including the ability to explore moves around the trade deadline and further additions next summer.
After a major change in identity over the past year, Atlanta now enters the season with a deeper roster, more defensive firepower, championship experience, and greater flexibility around Jalen Johnson as its emerging centerpiece.
