Asa Newell had a very solid rookie season, but it often gets forgotten due to how his minutes were managed towards the end of the year.
To be fair, there wasn't a ton of justification for playing a rookie nightly in a deep rotation full of veteran contributors. Now that the Hawks have seemingly transcended eras, and Newell has a year under his belt, the idea of him being able to contribute every night becomes much more realistic.
He'll need to start off his 2026-27 campaign with a strong summer league performance, though. There's no guarantee as to how much he'll play in the preview to preseason, considering he's no longer a rookie, but if he shines in the minutes he gets, he'll have a strong advantage on much of the forward room.
Atlanta has strong belief in Newell's long-term trajectory
It's why they tested him in a variety of roles last season. While he's certainly no traditional center, he was thrown in that position a good bit last year, and while it came with a direct hit to his immediate success, it'll be great for his development.
Learning strong adaptability this early into a career is something not many young prospects are forced to do anymore. The ideal spot for him long-term is at the four, but more experience at the five is only going to help him down the road, especially if Atlanta's frontcourt remains as injury-prone as they've been in recent years.
During the upcoming summer league, Newell will likely play the majority of his minutes at power forward, meaning he'll get a direct chance to show just how much his inconsistent rookie year roles had an impact on his nightly approach.
Will he attack the basket more freely? Has he improved as a rim-protector? Does his three-point volume increase?
There are many things the Hawks want to see out of Newell this summer
Summer league is no direct indicator of future success, but it does hold more weight for second-year player than rookies. If Newell struggles in the minutes he gets, it won't eliminate him from the possibility of playing nightly for the main team, but it'll put much more of a chip on his shoulder, as there are no shortage of forwards hoping for consistent minutes as well.
Newell will be competing alongside Mo Gueye, Zuby Ejiofor and maybe even Jonathan Kuminga - who remains an unrestricted free agent - for the permanent role of backup power forward.
There will be plenty to watch for as summer league quickly approaches.
Add us as a preferred source on Google