Jalen Johnson and Trae Young return to Atlanta to lead a revamped roster with the additions of Kristaps Porziņģis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)
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2024-25 Record: 40-42 (8th in East, lost in Play-In Tournament)
No team is more familiar with the SoFi Play-In Tournament than the Atlanta Hawks, who made their record fourth appearance – all in a row – last season.
In 2022 and 2023, the Hawks earned playoff berths via the Play-In, but were ultimately eliminated in the First Round. In 2024 and 2025, Atlanta’s season ended in the Play-In, with the No. 8 Hawks’ 2025 campaign ending with Play-In losses to the No. 7 Magic and No. 10 Heat.
As Atlanta looks to avoid a fifth consecutive Play-In appearance, the Hawks revamped their roster in the offseason with some key additions to join their young and emerging talents.
Offseason
- Re-signing: N/A
- Additions: Nickeil Alexander-Walker (sign-and-trade), N’Faly Dante (free agent), Luke Kennard (free agent), Kristaps Porziņģis (trade)
- Draft: Asa Newell (23rd pick, acquired via trade)
- Departures: Kobe Bufkin (trade), Clint Capela (trade), Caris LeVert (free agent), Terance Mann (trade), Larry Nance Jr. (free agent), Georges Niang (trade), David Roddy (waived)
- Unsigned Free Agents: Garrison Mathews
After leading the league in assists last season, Trae Young has some new teammates to drop dimes to after the Hawks acquired Kristaps Porziņģis from Boston, Nickeil Alexander-Walker from Minnesota and signed sharpshooter Luke Kennard this summer.
That new trio joins a core that features last season’s steals leader and Kia Most Improved Player Dyson Daniels, last year’s No. 1 overall draft pick and Kia Rookie of the Year runner-up Zaccharie Risacher, and a healthy Jalen Johnson, whose breakout season was cut short by a season-ending shoulder injury. The offense will still run through Young, who led the NBA in assists with a career-high 11.6 per game last season while earning his fourth All-Star nod.
11.6 dimes a night.
It's not NBA Assist Week without the league leader… @TheTraeYoung 🥶 pic.twitter.com/4RW1EwJ0Su
— NBA (@NBA) August 21, 2025
X-factor
While it is easy (and logical) to follow the ball when watching a game, do yourself a favor – turn on a Hawks game and focus only on Dyson Daniels when Atlanta is on defense.
Last season, the man known as the Great Barrier Thief became the first player to average at least three steals per game in over 40 years. His ability to read passing lanes, wreak havoc on opposing ball handlers and lock up some of the game’s top offensive players is a sight to behold.
The addition of Alexander-Walker gives the Hawks two elite perimeter defenders who can force turnovers and fuel Atlanta’s offense. After stops in New Orleans and Utah to begin his career, Alexander-Walker carved out his ideal role in Minnesota, where his defensive versatility and ability to guard multiple positions proved vital during the Timberwolves’ back-to-back runs to the Western Conference Finals.
> Watch Dyson Daniels on NBA League Pass
One key question
Are Atlanta’s offseason moves enough to pull them out of the Play-In field and help the Hawks secure a guaranteed playoff berth with a top-six finish in the East?
On paper, the 2025-26 Hawks look ready to make that leap, but on-paper analysis doesn’t account for building on-court chemistry, overcoming injuries and finding the consistency that will be needed to make this new-look squad come together quickly.
Porziņģis was limited to a career-low 42 games played a season ago – missing the first five weeks as he recovered from offseason ankle surgery and missing time late in the regular season and playoffs with a mysterious illness. He recovered in the offseason and just played for Latvia in EuroBasket this summer as he gets ready to join the Hawks.
Fantasy Outlook from RotoWire
The team at RotoWire broke down the top fantasy options for each team in the East. Here’s how they broke down some of the best options from the Hawks:
“After another playoff disappointment for Trae Young and co., the Hawks were aggressive this offseason in their quest to get back to making deep postseason runs. The addition of Porziņģis via a blockbuster three-team trade grabbed the most headlines and provides Atlanta a dynamic frontcourt duo in combination with the surging Onyeka Okongwu. The return to full health of Jalen Johnson, who was authoring a career-best season before a torn left shoulder labrum shut him down in January, and the Young-Dyson Daniels backcourt tandem will give the Hawks one of the East’s most dynamic first units. Though, Porziņģis’ perennially shaky health will bear monitoring.”
Key dates
- Preseason Opener: Oct. 6 at Rockets (8 ET, League Pass)
- Regular Season/Home Opener: Oct. 22 vs. Raptors (7:30 ET, League Pass)
- Emirates NBA Cup East Group A Play: Oct. 31 at. Pacers (7 ET, League Pass), Nov. 7 vs. Raptors (7:30 ET, League Pass), Nov. 25 at Wizards (7 ET, League Pass), Nov. 28 vs. Cavaliers (7:30 ET, League Pass)
- MLK Day: Jan. 19 vs. Bucks (1 ET, Peacock)
What they’re saying
David Aldridge, The Athletic: “Atlanta’s new front office — Saleh, Bryson Graham and Peter Dinwiddie — crushed the offseason. The highlight, of course, was getting New Orleans’ 2026 first-rounder on draft night in exchange for moving down 10 spots in the draft. It was a smart and nimble move by the Hawks, who will likely add a lottery talent from a loaded ’26 draft to their promising core. Whether Atlanta can really make a move in the East next season depends on Porziņģis’ health, but adding NAW, KP, Kennard and Newell to supplement Trae Young, Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher and Dyson Daniels was first-rate work.” (Read More)
