Atlanta count on Jalen Johnson and their reinforcements
Sixth in the East in 2026, the Hawks kept their core and strengthened their wings. Around Jalen Johnson, Quin Snyder has a deeper squad as he tries to get past the first round of the playoffs.
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Atlanta are not starting from scratch. The Hawks won 46 games in the 2025–2026 regular season, finished sixth in the Eastern Conference and reached the playoffs without going through the play-in. They then led New York two games to one before losing the next three. The target this season is to improve on that first-round exit.
Quin Snyder remains in charge, but this is no longer Trae Young's team. The point guard joined Washington in January in the trade that brought in CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. Jalen Johnson has taken on more responsibility, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker has established himself as another major scorer. The summer was spent above all reinforcing this group rather than shifting its centre of gravity once again.
46-36 record in the regular season
per game, 6th in the league out of 30
points conceded per 100 possessions
points scored per 100 possessions
possessions per game: a team that runs
Rankings out of 30 teams, 2025–2026 regular season.
Two games won by a point, then three heavy defeats
Score margin, game by game
vs
Series totals: 602 points scored, 707 conceded. In Game 6, New York led by 47 points at half-time, a playoff record.
A summer devoted to the wings and depth
Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins arrive from Oklahoma City. Dorian Finney-Smith was acquired from Charlotte in September. These three bolster the perimeter positions: Snyder has more options to defend opposing guards and wings, and to build his combinations around Johnson.
- →Luguentz DortOklahoma City · three-team trade (July)
- →Aaron WigginsOklahoma City
- →Dorian Finney-SmithCharlotte · 22 September
- →
- →
- ←Zaccharie RisacherDallas · three-team trade involving Dort
- ←Buddy Hield, Ryan NembhardCharlotte · Finney-Smith trade
- ←Jonathan KumingaNot extended
- ←Trae YoungWashington · January 2026
The moves have a sporting cost too. Zaccharie Risacher joined Dallas in the three-team trade that brought in Dort. Buddy Hield and Ryan Nembhard were sent to Charlotte in exchange for Finney-Smith. Jonathan Kuminga, who arrived midway through the 2025–2026 season, was not extended. CJ McCollum and Jock Landale, meanwhile, remain part of the project. The new generation includes point guard Kingston Flemings and big man Zuby Ejiofor, who are new to the NBA.
Ten months of rebuilding
Trae Young leaves for Washington. CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert arrive.
First round against New York: 2-1, then 2-4.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is named Most Improved Player.
Mouhamed Gueye undergoes surgery on his left foot.
Three-team trade: Dort arrives, Risacher goes to Dallas.
Henri Veesaar, with a right knee injury, is expected to miss the season.
Finney-Smith arrives from Charlotte for Hield and Nembhard.
Season opener, in Orlando.
Jalen Johnson, the forward who does it all
The player Atlanta are now built around is Jalen Johnson. His averages of 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists in the 2025–2026 regular season show the breadth of his role. He is not there simply to finish plays: he picks up the ball, can start the offence and finds his teammates. For a team that wants to run, having a forward who can do all of that is an asset.
19 % of the team's points
24 % of team rebounds
26 % of team assists
Shares calculated by SNA from per-game averages (Johnson: 72 games; team: 118.5 pts, 43.5 rebounds, 30.1 assists). A rough guide, not an official statistic.
Johnson, Alexander-Walker and McCollum
Alexander-Walker stepped up a level in the same season: 20.8 points per game, 39.9% from three and the NBA's Most Improved Player award. Atlanta are therefore counting on an already established offensive threat, not just on Johnson's expected progress. McCollum offers another way to create a shot when the team game runs out of openings.
Who scores in Atlanta
Points per game, 2025–26 regular season, playing for Atlanta.
Dyson Daniels completes the picture with his defence and passing: 5.9 assists per game last season. His shooting remains a weakness, at 18.8% from three. For opponents, giving Daniels space can allow them to protect the rim more. Atlanta will need to find ways to involve him without leaving all the offensive pressure on Johnson.
The three-point shot, player by player
Red line: Atlanta average, 37.1%. Attempts per game. Dort and Wiggins: 2025–26 season with Oklahoma City.
The rotation: a familiar core and more competition
McCollum, Alexander-Walker, Daniels, Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu make up a possible base for the starting five. This is a rotation projection, not an official line-up: Dort could alter the balance of the perimeter positions, and Snyder's choices will also depend on opponents and availability.
On the wings
At point guard
Inside
Doubtful
- Mouhamed Gueye (left foot)
- Henri Veesaar (right knee)
Indicative layout. Johnson, circled in red, is the offensive focal point. Each player opens their SNA profile.
Wiggins and Finney-Smith widen the options on the wings. Kispert offers shooting, while Flemings will have to earn his first minutes at point guard. Inside, Okongwu comes off a season of 15.2 points and 7.6 rebounds, shooting 37.6% from three. He can therefore step away from the rim on offence. Landale brings a different type of centre, and Asa Newell or Ejiofor are among the young players to develop.
For Mouhamed Gueye, the question is first and foremost one of recovery. The Senegalese, who had surgery on his left foot in July, was still listed as questionable on 14 October. His presence on the roster does not mean he will be available for the first game. Henri Veesaar is expected to miss the season after his right knee injury, the Hawks announced on 21 September.
The squad: 18 players
The Hawks' official roster lists the 18 players below. It includes the preparation group and guarantees neither a place in the rotation nor the availability of each player. Several players can fill more than one position. The SNA file also includes Cameron Corhen and Kobe Johnson, who do not appear on the Hawks' official list as of that date.
| Player | Status | Pts | Reb | Ast | 3PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guards | |||||
| CJ McCollum | Joined in January | 18.7 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 35.7 % |
| Dyson Daniels | 11.9 | 6.8 | 5.9 | 18.8 % | |
| Nickeil Alexander-Walker | MIP 2026 | 20.8 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 39.9 % |
| Luguentz Dort | New signing · OKC | 8.3 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 34.4 % |
| Aaron Wiggins | New signing · OKC | 9.4 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 35.6 % |
| Kingston Flemings | NBA debut | – | – | – | – |
| RayJ Dennis | 3.3 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 28.6 % | |
| Keshon Gilbert | 11.0 | 0.0 | 9.0 | 0.0 % | |
| Forwards | |||||
| Jalen Johnson | Leader | 22.5 | 10.3 | 7.9 | 35.2 % |
| Dorian Finney-Smith | New signing · September | 3.3 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 27.0 % |
| Corey Kispert | Joined in January | 9.2 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 35.4 % |
| Asa Newell | 5.2 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 38.7 % | |
| Zuby Ejiofor | NBA debut | – | – | – | – |
| Mouhamed Gueye | SenegalDoubtful · foot | 4.4 | 3.6 | 0.9 | 30.8 % |
| Jalen Wilson | – | – | – | – | |
| Centres and versatile big men | |||||
| Onyeka Okongwu | 15.2 | 7.6 | 3.1 | 37.6 % | |
| Jock Landale | 9.1 | 4.1 | 1.7 | 39.1 % | |
| Henri Veesaar | Season in doubt · knee | – | – | – | – |
2025–2026 regular-season averages. Dort and Wiggins: Oklahoma City; Finney-Smith: Houston (37 games). Dennis (3 games) and Gilbert (1 game): samples too small to draw a trend. "–": no NBA game with Atlanta or unverified data. Each name opens the player's SNA profile.
Atlanta's weapons, and what still needs to improve
The weapons
- Several perimeter defenders capable of harassing the ball handler: Daniels (2.0 steals per game, the team's best total), Dort and Alexander-Walker.
- Reinforcements on the wings to vary the line-ups without relying on a single defender.
- Three different offensive anchors: Johnson, Alexander-Walker and McCollum.
- A running game: 5th in the league for pace and 30.1 assists per game.
Areas to work on
- Daniels' shooting: 18.8% from three.
- Johnson's ability to create against a set defence.
- The solidity of the frontcourt rotation, with Gueye doubtful and Veesaar absent.
- Producing quality shots against five organised defenders, as the playoffs demand.
The first strength is the variety of perimeter defenders. Daniels, Dort and Alexander-Walker give Snyder several players capable of hassling the ball handler. With the reinforcements on the wings, the Hawks can also vary the five on the floor without depending on a single defender. The second strength is offensive: Johnson, Alexander-Walker and McCollum offer three different reference points.
The limit shows when the opponent has time to get back into position. A steal can sometimes lead to a score before the defence sets; in the playoffs, a team also has to produce quality shots against five organised defenders. Daniels' shooting, Johnson's ability to create in those situations and the solidity of the interior rotation will therefore be important issues this season.
Atlanta has what it takes to aim for another direct playoff berth, reserved for the top six in the East.
Going further will require turning the depth added this summer into on-court complementarity. The number of new signings alone is no guarantee of that progress; the series lost to New York set the benchmark.
Thursday 22 October 2026 at 00:00 Brazzaville time · match centre
- The team’s live schedule appears here.
Countdown to tip-off.