The Atlanta Hawks could be really good next season after having a strong summer.
The Atlanta Hawks have been predicted to have a "better" record next season than last season by NBA analyst Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report.
Atlanta went 46-36 last season. Swartz thinks the Hawks will win more than 46 games next season after having a strong summer.
Notable Additions: F Lu Dort, G Aaron Wiggins, PG Ryan Nembhard, G Devin Carter, G Kingston Flemings, C Zuby Ejiofor
Notable Subtractions: G/F Zaccharie Risacher
The Hawks had a busy offseason. They signed CJ McCollum to an extension, re-signed Jock Landale, acquired Carter from the Sacramento Kings, Wiggins and Dort from the Oklahoma City Thunder and Nembhard from the Dallas Mavericks, declined Jonathan Kuminga's team option and drafted KFlemings, Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar in the 2026 draft.
"Atlanta could hit 50-plus wins," Swartz wrote. "This is one of the NBA's deepest teams."
Atlanta's core moving forward is Dort, Wiggins, McCollum, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Onyeka Okongwu.
Johnson is the new franchise player in Atlanta in the post-Trae Young era. It will be fascinating to see if the Hawks win a championship with Johnson leading the way.
A talented two-way swingman, Johnson had a terrific 2025-26 season. He averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game and recorded 49 double-doubles and 13 triple-doubles in 72 games.
Atlanta lost to the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2026 playoffs, but remember, the Hawks were the only team to beat the Knicks twice in the postseason.
That shows how good the Hawks will be moving forward.
Atlanta is expected to start McCollum, Alexander-Walker, Daniels, Johnson and Okongwu next season. The Hawks haven't won a playoff series since 2021. Let's see if that changes in 2027.
"I don’t compare ourselves to others," McCollum told HoopsHype about the Hawks' future. "Right now, it’s about focusing on getting better individually and collectively. We can’t control how other teams look. You can control your approach to the game. Teams will get better and evolve.
"For us, it’s about focusing on improving our intangibles, understanding our schemes, and what Quin wants from us. Then, building on the momentum and experience that we had playing in the playoffs in a big environment on the road and in our home games. We played against a team that won the NBA Finals. All those things help you as you go into a new season."
