After a season of major changes, the Atlanta Hawks are making some serious noise in the playoffs. Things could get even better for the Hawks in the draft, as they will have two first-round picks in 2026. Thanks to some smart trades and picks, Atlanta could get even more dangerous next season.
The 2025-2026 NBA Season will be seen as a corner being turned by the Hawks organization. After years stuck in the quicksand created by Trae Young, the team made some incredibly smart moves. Now, they find themselves in the first round of the playoffs, tied two games apiece with the Knicks.
Naturally, the biggest trade the Hawks made moved Young to the Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. McCollum has proven to be an incredible addition to the team. He's a clutch veteran presence on a team of young players with little to no playoff experience.
Their other big trade sent the perpetually injured Kristaps Porzingis to the Warriors. In return, the Hawks got Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. This move absolutely unlocked Kuminga, quickly turning him into one of the bench players in the league. It was a next-level trade for Atlanta.
The Hawks are the becoming a massive problem for the East
With the draft getting closer and closer, the Hawks are on the verge of landing some major talent. The most recent FanSided mock draft has them landing center Luigi Suigo at 23 and top prospect Darryn Petersen with the third pick. The question is how a playoff team is getting two first-round picks.
Atlanta traded their own first round pick to San Antonio. At the same time, they have the 23rd pick through Cleveland and potentially the number three pick through the Pelicans/Bucks. It's a confusing path, but the result is the same: an already good team will get even better.
Which pick the Hawks end up with in the early part of the draft will be determined in the May 10 lottery. The last two FanSided mock drafts have projected Atlanta getting the first and third picks, respectively. And don't forget that the Hawks also have one second-round pick.
These smart trades and draft picks leveled up an already top-tier team. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Johnson, and Dyson Daniels are all having incredible seasons. Everything that the Hawks already have, plus someone like Petersen, should scare every other team in the East.
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