Talent abounds, yet wins lag. Discover the Atlanta Hawks' perplexing roster construction, their ambitious vision, and the path forward for this enigmatic NBA squad.
The Atlanta Hawks look like a team built for the modern NBA — long, versatile, and defensively disruptive.
The standings tell a different story.
At 27-31 and ninth in the Eastern Conference, Atlanta remains competitive but incomplete. The talent is undeniable. The cohesion is still developing. And the gap between those two realities explains why this season feels both promising and frustrating.
Jalen Johnson has emerged as a legitimate franchise anchor. His offensive growth and ability to impact games across positions have reshaped Atlanta’s long-term outlook. Nickeil Alexander-Walker continues to solidify his value as a two-way wing who can defend, move without the ball, and provide efficient scoring. Dyson Daniels has built a defensive résumé that points toward perennial All-Defense consideration.
Jonathan Kuminga’s arrival at the trade deadline added another layer of athleticism and downhill pressure. Onyeka Okongwu, meanwhile, has expanded his offensive range in a meaningful way.
Individually, the pieces make sense. Together, they raise questions.
There is a clear defensive blueprint. A lineup featuring Kuminga, Alexander-Walker, Johnson, Daniels, and Okongwu would allow the Hawks to switch aggressively across positions. They’d have length on the perimeter, multiple playmakers in transition and the ability to pressure ball-handlers consistently.
That identity fits today’s league.
The offensive balance is where things tighten.
Alexander-Walker is shooting 37.3% from three-point range, making him the most reliable perimeter threat in that projected group — and the only true movement shooter defenses must actively track. Okongwu has stretched his range to 38.2% from deep this season, a significant development that gives Atlanta needed frontcourt spacing.
But the lineup’s overall shooting profile remains uneven.
Daniels is shooting 12.8% from three. Kuminga’s perimeter consistency is still fluctuating. Johnson’s outside shot continues to improve, but it is not yet at a volume or efficiency that forces aggressive defensive adjustments.
When multiple players in a lineup do not command respect beyond the arc, the floor compresses. Driving lanes narrow. Help defenders cheat inward. Offensive possessions become more reliant on contested finishes and difficult shot creation.
Then there’s the size equation.
Okongwu is mobile, skilled and increasingly versatile, but he is not an overwhelming physical presence inside. Surround him with wing-sized forwards, and while the lineup appears long, it can feel average in cumulative strength and interior deterrence.
None of this suggests structural failure. It suggests incomplete alignment.
The Hawks are not lacking talent. They are calibrating it.
Johnson is still ascending. Daniels’ offensive ceiling remains undefined. Kuminga has the tools to make a legitimate shooting leap. Internal growth could solve much of the spacing tension without drastic changes.
Atlanta also stands to add another strong draft asset, giving the front office optionality. A high-level shooter or a larger rotational big could rebalance the lineup while preserving the defensive identity.
At 27-31 and ninth in the East, the Hawks are walking a narrow path — talented enough to believe, inconsistent enough to hesitate.
The blueprint is there.
The execution just hasn’t fully caught up yet.