The Atlanta Hawks will be juggling priorities in 2026-27, but three priorities stand above the rest.

That juggling act is part of any NBA team's season. There is always a balance to strike. Even teams that are entirely focused on winning games will have young players to develop or potential injuries to preserve.

These three priorities will define the Hawks' season.

This is not a developmental season for the Hawks - more on that later - but there is development to prioritize.

The Hawks are in a rare position where they have a lottery pick on a win-now roster. Guard Kingston Flemings needs to have a role this year, but as a rookie, his time on the floor is likely to be costly at times. That's generally true for most first-year players.

Meanwhile, Flemings isn't the only freshman on this roster. It would be nice if the Hawks could see what big man Zuby Ejiofor has to offer. Combo big Asa Newell looks ready to take a step forward as well. The Hawks need to find opportunities for all these guys:

But it can't come at the expense of wins.

Tentatively, the Hawks' starting lineup will be Onyeka Okongwu, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and CJ McCollum.

It's a potent lineup. There's plenty of combined playmaking on both ends of the floor, and the group is well-equipped to play the transition-heavy brand of basketball that defined Atlanta in 2025-26. That's great, but the Hawks should be open-minded to lineups that could look better in 2026-27.

Specifically, it could make sense to replace Daniels with either Luguentz Dort or Aaron Wiggins. That would improve the team's floor spacing.

It could also be that Daniels is the best option. The Hawks should keep a close eye on lineup data throughout the season to see what works, especially because moving Daniels to the second unit could offer another way to balance the rotation.

That will serve their highest priority as well.

This is a win-now season for the Hawks.

Another first-round playoff exit would be a tremendous disappointment. Throughout the regular season, the Hawks need to do whatever works.

If they're getting destroyed in Flemings' minutes, they need to reduce Flemings' playing time. It would be a difficult but necessary decision. If they need to flesh out their guard rotation with a midseason trade, they can't hesitate to do so.

Everything else matters too. Getting the most out of the young players matters, but if it's coming at the expense of wins, the Hawks need to be clear on their priority in 2026-27:

Even if that means dropping other balls in the course of their juggling act.