It has been an incredible offseason of moves for the Atlanta Hawks. General Manager Onsi Saleh entered his first summer as the organization's lead decision-maker with a clear goal: transform the team into championship contenders while staying true to their timeline.
They did just that, bringing in Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Luke Kennard. Alexander-Walker is locked up for the long term, while Porzingis and Kennard are on one-year deals, giving Atlanta some important flexibility going forward.
If this unique combination of size, shooting, and defense does not produce the intended results on the court, the Hawks' front office can decide to move in another direction next offseason with no penalty.
The best and most underrated move they made this summer, however, was the draft night trade-down with the New Orleans Pelicans, which led to them selecting forward Asa Newell with the 23rd overall pick. To trade up with Atlanta and select their top target, Derik Queen, New Orleans had to give up one of the league's best assets: an unprotected 2026 first-round pick, which is the more favorable of the two.
Newell was one of Atlanta's top targets with the 13th pick, and they still managed to bring him in after trading down 10 spots and acquiring what could be a top-five selection in next year's draft.
Atlanta could have pulled the biggest draft day heist in recent memory
While it looked like a great deal at the time, it has a chance to look much better soon. In a recent article, Bleacher Report's Dan Favale ranked New Orleans star forward, Zion Williamson, as one of the five most likely players to demand a trade during the 2025-26 season:
"Imagining a Zion trade request is far easier than picturing the Pelicans contending for a playoff spot. Healthy, not healthy, playing like an MVP, having a career-worst season, landing somewhere in the middle—it doesn't matter. He could grow wary of repping a franchise addicted to spinning its wheels and long for a fresh start… if he hasn't already."
Even if Williamson chooses not to request out, New Orleans is not set up to win meaningful games this upcoming season. Their roster could be best described as dysfunctional. Bringing in Jordan Poole from the Wizards does not help that problem in the slightest.
The brightest spot of their offseason has, without a doubt, been the health of Zion Williamson. He appears to be in the best shape of his career. While his availability on the court over the course of an entire season is still a valid question mark, it looks like he has at least one major problem sorted out.
Him requesting out could just be the nail in the coffin for a Pelicans team with little direction and no first-round pick next offseason. Hawks fans will be watching the Pelicans closely this season, as their struggles on and off the court could result in yet another first overall selection.