The Atlanta Hawks have hit the ground running as they approach the February 5th trade deadline. It all started on January 7th, when Atlanta dealt their long-time franchise cornerstone, Trae Young, to the Washington Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert.
At the start of February, the Hawks made more big splashes in the NBA trade world with four more transactions and acquisitions, with the final domino being a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers for their guard, Gabe Vincent, in exchange for Luke Kennard, and more notably, their deal with the Golden State Warriors that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Dubs in exchange for Buddy Hield and Jonathon Kuminga.
Despite acquiring Porzingis in July 2025, injuries and other factors limited KP to just 17 games for the Hawks. For someone who was anticipated to be such a force for Atlanta, it is surprising to see how quickly the franchise has moved on from him.
But this trade doesn't just show their plan to build for the future; it also shows the team's mentality as they enter a new era of Hawks basketball.
Atlanta is weaning off of star power
Trae Young's departure was the first domino to fall in the mid-season reconstruction of this roster, and in the wake of their other trade deadline moves, the organization has shown a greater emphasis on positional versatility over star dependency moving forward.
Additionally, these moves have indicated a shift in their developmental mentality. Vit Krejci being moved just showed that fringe rotational players and their development are no longer protected simply due to their familiarity within the organization.
Atlanta's recent moves show a greater emphasis on versatility on both ends of the floor, with players who don't have lucrative contracts. With this new philosophy being put into practice, three players have the least security on this roster moving forward.
1. Keaton Wallace
Keaton Wallace has been fine in his limited NBA minutes. But with the newest acquisition of Gabe Vincent from the Lakers, combined with the already crowded guard roster, this move seems like an indication that Wallace may be considered expendable.
2. Zaccharie Risacher
Risacher now shares the small forward spot with two players drafted in the lottery this decade: Kuminga and Corey Kispert.
If the Hawks were secure in Risacher, why would they trade Porzingis for Kuminga? Of course, Atlanta refused to include Risacher in Anthony Davis trade talks, and the company line is that they fully believe in him. But the truth is likely more complex than this.
Kuminga is Risacher's first teammate who could plausibly rise above the former top pick in the depth chart (even if it is unlikely). If Kuminga beats out the Frenchman for a roster spot, we may have a Risacher problem on our hands.
3. Nikola Durisic
With the arrival of Jonathon Kuminga, Durisic's time in Atlanta may be over before it ever truly started. Nikola Durisic is a young wing with significant upside, but he is otherwise unproven at the NBA level. The arrival of Kuminga will inevitably push Durisic further down the rotation, and it might even push him off the roster completely, depending on Kuminga's impact the rest of this season.
The Atlanta Hawks aren't just evaluating the talent around them; they are making it clear they now prioritize utility over talent.
And finally, these player's availability is their greatest ability in the eyes of the front office. Kristaps Porzingis played only 17 games for the Hawks, Trae Young played 10, and their strong pieces, who have been available, have not contributed at the level the organization hoped for.
Atlanta seems to be all-in on building around their young guard, Jalen Johnson, but the way they have gone about it is what has fans curious about how it is going to go. Instead of prioritizing name value, and aging stars to complement an already flawed offensive scheme, the Hawk's are shifting their focus towards competency over development.