On paper, there should not be any argument that the Atlanta Hawks made main enhancements to their lineup.
After buying and selling for Celtics massive man Kristaps Porzingis and drafting Georgia energy ahead Asa Newell, Atlanta reached a pair of big free agent signings. The Hawks signed a marquee free agent in Wolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker to a four-year, $62 million deal in an indication and commerce that despatched a 2027 2nd-round choose (by way of CLE) to the Wolves. Then, the Hawks signed free agent guard Luke Kennard to a one-year, $11 million deal. Exterior of the massive acquisitions talked about above, in addition they made some fascinating margin strikes by including Caleb Houstan from the Orlando Magic as a bench sharpshooter and signing Nikola Durisic to a typical contract. Whereas they did additionally get an unprotected first-rounder from the Pelicans subsequent season, that will not immediately have an effect on their 2025-26 season and due to this fact should not be thought of as a real offseason acquisition.
Nevertheless, which certainly one of these strikes has probably the most potential to repay massive in 2025-26?
No. 6 – Nikola Durisic
Durisic was drafted by the Hawks final season and performed within the 2024 Summer season League, however he did not play any regular-season video games for Atlanta and due to this fact will likely be a brand new addition to the 2025-26 roster. His participant profile is fascinating – the 6’8 wing has some followers resulting from his passing capability. Popping out of KK Mega Basket in Serbia, he averaged 4.8 assists as a playmaker for his workforce and drew fouls at an above-average fee. Nevertheless, he struggled with turnovers, and plainly he’ll be extra of a secondary or tertiary playmaker on the NBA degree.
In 2025 Summer season League, he seemed extra snug. By means of the primary three video games, he averaged 13.3 factors per sport, three rebounds, and 4 assists on 50/33/84% taking pictures splits. He is not a fantastic ground spacer and he struggles with turnovers, however there’s an opportunity he could be a rotation wing for the Hawks as he develops. He is a fascinating candidate to develop into a backup SF for the Hawks this yr.
#5 – Caleb Houstan
Exterior of being the tallest energetic participant to have by no means dunked in an NBA sport, Houstan is extra prone to affect the roster in 2025-26 than Durisic purely as a result of he can swing video games resulting from his taking pictures. Orlando completed the 2024-25 season final in 3P%, however Houstan was most likely their most dependable shooter. He shot 40% from past the arc on 2.8 makes an attempt per sport and there is motive to imagine that quantity can rise subsequent season. Garrison Mathews earned the “Garry Chook” moniker due to how he was in a position to often swing video games resulting from getting sizzling from deep. Houstan might occupy the same position, and there is even some upside for extra, contemplating that he is solely 22 years outdated.
The Hawks have already got a fairly crowded wing rotation, however Houstan offers them one other intriguing flyer at that spot who comes with NBA expertise. I additionally imagine just a little extra in Houstan’s protection resulting from his hustle on that finish and his 6’11 wingspan. He does not actually do a lot else apart from shoot, however that is a invaluable ability to have within the common season.
#4B – Asa Newell (tie)
Projecting a rookie for a big position, particularly one drafted outdoors of the lottery, is at all times dangerous as a result of most rookies will not be good they usually typically want time to regulate to the NBA. Zaccharie Risacher was taken with the highest choice within the 2024 draft and did not actually start to come back alongside till the second half of the yr. That is very true within the frontcourt – many wings do not come into their very own till they’ve a number of seasons beneath their belt. It is solely attainable that Newell does not make a lot of an affect in 2025-26 and nonetheless goes on to have a really productive profession. He is solely 19 years outdated and he’ll want time to regulate to the NBA.
Nevertheless, Newell’s profile and Summer season League manufacturing offers me some pause earlier than dismissing him as a contributor. At Georgia, he performed at middle resulting from being 6’10 with a 6’11 wingspan. Regardless of not having overwhelming dimension, he averaged 15.4 factors and 6.9 rebounds on 54.3/29.2/74.8% taking pictures splits. He dominated contained in the paint, taking pictures 72.8% on the rim, whereas thriving as a assist defender and rebounder. He brings connective expertise on each ends of the court docket – he is a fantastic cutter and has the foot pace to maintain up with wings on the perimeter. One of many massive questions on his sport was his taking pictures, however his jumper seemed NBA-viable in Las Vegas. Within the first 4 video games of Summer season League, he averaged 13.5 factors and eight.2 rebounds on 51% taking pictures from the sphere and 42% taking pictures from three-point vary. He took 3.5 threes per sport, so this manufacturing is approaching respectable quantity.
Perhaps it is untimely, however I believe Newell might be impactful for the Hawks particularly due to the harm dangers related to Jalen Johnson and Kristaps Porzingis. Younger has finished nicely with gamers of his archetype earlier than – see John Collins. Moreover, Atlanta’s season has gone off the rails for 2 straight years as a result of they lack gamers with PF dimension to cowl up for Johnson’s absence. Anticipating him to be Johnson is ridiculous, however there is a chance Newell can survive as a lob menace on offense whereas enjoying strong protection for the stretch of video games that Johnson misses. If he does that, there is no query he’d be one of many extra vital gamers for the Hawks this yr.
#4A – Luke Kennard (tie)
Of the three veteran acquisitions the Hawks made, I am the bottom on Kennard’s potential affect. To be clear, he is nonetheless a helpful participant to have on the roster. Even in a down season in the course of the 2024-25 marketing campaign, he shot 43.3% from deep on 4 makes an attempt a sport. He hasn’t shot beneath 40% from deep in 5 seasons and the quantity with which Kennard lets it fly is formidable. He is within the ninetieth percentile for three-point frequency amongst all guards and he takes tough threes as nicely. He shot a staggering 52% on nook threes final season whereas ending within the eightieth percentile for taking these pictures. It isn’t onerous to see how a catch-and-shoot weapon like Kennard can thrive in Atlanta, particularly enjoying off of Trae Younger.
The opposite good factor about Kennard’s sport is that he is a strong passer. As soon as Jalen Johnson went down, this workforce lacked dependable ball-handlers outdoors of Trae Younger and it allowed defenses to ramp up their protection of Younger. Kennard completed within the 89th percentile for AST:USG ratio, that means that he was a constructive connective passer for the Grizzlies. The outcomes would most likely be much less profitable if he was the first initiator in a lineup, however he could make the fundamental reads and discover open teammates as a secondary ball-handler.
The limiting issue with Kennard’s affect is his protection. He is 6’5 and has the dimensions to no less than compete on that finish, however he is somebody who might be focused on protection in in depth minutes. He does not generate a whole lot of seperation and must be set-up. That is an issue in postseason basketball. To be clear, it isn’t honest to say Kennard has no position on a great workforce. Memphis’s 2022 sequence in opposition to the Lakers is an effective depiction of this – he was a serious motive why the Grizzlies received Recreation 5 of that sequence resulting from his taking pictures gravity pulling defenders away from Ja Morant and Desmond Bane. When his shot is not hitting and the opposite workforce can goal him on protection, look no additional than the Grizzlies first-round sequence in opposition to the Thunder to seek out proof of how Kennard could be a legal responsibility within the playoffs. He completed the sequence taking pictures 22.2% from deep in opposition to OKC whereas averaging 4.5 factors and two assists. Whereas the Thunder had a traditionally nice perimeter protection, it is value contemplating the draw back when assessing Kennard’s potential affect on this roster. He must be a strong regular-season participant because the eighth man, however he cannot get a heavy dose of postseason motion if the Hawks need to make a deep run.
#2 – Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Contemplating how horrible the Hawks’ perimeter protection has been as of late, the addition of Nickeil Alexander-Walker is perhaps probably the most thrilling strikes of the offseason. The 6’5 taking pictures guard is, merely, the most effective on-ball defenders within the NBA. He is nice at navigating round ball screens, will get into passing lanes and handles powerful assignments on the perimeter routinely. Pairing him with Dyson Daniels is a terrifying thought for opponents and I might anticipate the Hawks to attempt lineups with each of them in an effort to grind opposing offenses to a halt. NAW additionally brings above-average taking pictures, hitting 38.1% of his threes on 4.5 makes an attempt and thriving on catch-and-shoot seems to be. Once more, this profile ought to fare nicely with Trae Younger and offers the Hawks’ star PG one other shooter to kick it out to when he drives into the paint.
He is not probably the most constant postseason participant, however he had a 23-point sport for the Wolves within the convention finals in opposition to OKC and he closed video games for them within the fourth quarter resulting from his dependable protection and strong offense. He could be a position participant on a championship-caliber workforce and he must be a extremely efficient reserve for the Hawks.
#1 – Kristaps Porzingis
The state of the Japanese Convention is such {that a} wholesome Kristaps Porzingis might elevate the Hawks into making one other ECF run. He was one of many linchpins for Boston’s 2024 championship run resulting from his affect within the common season, the primary spherical and the beginning of the 2024 Finals. Since he is basically changing Georges Niang within the lineup, it is onerous to state the distinction that he can present on protection. When wholesome, he is the most effective rim protectors within the league as a drop-coverage massive who can utterly erase the paint. He has the dimensions to go up in opposition to bigs like Jarrett Allen and Karl-Anthony Cities, each of whom the Hawks will seemingly must undergo in the event that they need to make a deep postseason run. He has his struggles on the perimeter, however the great thing about having a participant like Porzingis on the roster is {that a} extra cellular massive like Onyeka Okongwu, Asa Newell or Mo Gueye can be utilized to enrich him in double-big lineups.
That’s as a result of behind Cities, Porzingis is the perfect big-man shooter within the NBA. He shot a career-best 41.2% from deep on six makes an attempt a sport final season, so he is not slowing down as a shooter. A part of that comes from enjoying with glorious spacing in Boston, however there is no motive he cannot shoot above 37% from deep on vital quantity whereas enjoying off the gravity of Trae Younger. Atlanta additionally has a middle in Okongwu who can play sufficient minutes to maintain Porzingis as a hyper-effective sixth man who can be utilized sparingly all through the common season and unleashed within the playoffs.
In fact, the most important caveat with all that is his well being. It is nearly a on condition that Porzingis will miss 15+ video games within the common season, however the Hawks can plan round this in the event that they deploy their rotation within the appropriate vogue. If he performs round 60 video games in the course of the common season and exhibits up for a majority of Atlanta’s playoff video games with first rate well being, it is onerous to dismiss the potential of this workforce. He is the marquee addition for the Hawks this summer season and he’ll be particularly motivated to play nicely resulting from his deal expiring on the finish of the yr. At solely 30 years outdated, he has loads of basketball left in his profession and his 2025-26 season might be certainly one of his most spectacular years – well being allowing.
