Atlanta had a sensational end to their 2025-2026 season after struggling to stay afloat before the trade deadline.
While the Trae Young deal may not have been the easiest to stomach at the time, the Hawks have most definitively reaped the rewards of the deal, and then some.
Despite finishing 6th in the East last season and taking the eventual-champs in New York to a difficult six games, ESPN has projected Atlanta as taking the 6th greatest leap in the entire league next year.
In fact, the only team ranked above Atlanta that also made the playoffs last season were the Sixers (that's the last six, I promise). It begs the question - just how high can the Hawks soar this year?
Teams ranked above Atlanta - out of the playoffs, or added LeBron
ESPN's poll only ranked the following five teams above Atlanta in projected leap: Indiana, Utah, Washington, Dallas, and Philadelphia.
When the first four squads engaged in some not-so-subtle tanking practices throughout the regular season last year (how real was the Trae Young injury, Washington?) and Philadelphia added The King and Jaylen Brown, it's hard to complain as a Hawks fan.
Not only did Atlanta already establish itself as a legitimate contender last season, but they also didn't make any huge All-Star sized splashes this offseason - so what is it that ESPN sees for the Hawks?
Atlanta's greatest weapon - intrinsically elite perimeter defense
By far the most logical explanation lies in two areas - the Hawks' established regular-season dominance, and their newfound elite (and deep) perimeter defense.
The "death lineup" of McCollum, Daniels, Alexander-Walker, Johnson and Okongwu hasn't gone anywhere - if anything, it's only improving (perhaps except CJ) with time. Take this fearsome fivesome, and add on Luguentz Dort, Kingston Flemings, and Zuby Ejiofor, and you have a mix of defensively-minded individuals that are set to establish a lockdown core for years to come.
Not many squads boast as many elite perimeter defenders as Atlanta, if any - I'd argue that only the San Antonio Spurs' core of Harper, Castle and Bryant, the Thunder's core of Wallace, Caruso and Williams, and the Knicks' core of Anunoby, Bridges and Hart rivals the Hawks' perimeter lockdown crew.
Don't be surprised if the Hawks live up to the lofty expectations that ESPN has set for next season - all signs are a go for another exciting year for Atlanta.
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