Before the 2026 NBA preseason began, many Atlanta Hawks fans debated who would play backup power forward behind Jalen Johnson.
Asa Newell, Zuby Ejiofor, and Mouhamed Gueye, when he returns from injury, were all strong candidates. However, Head Coach Quin Snyder surprised the fanbase during the preseason finale "dress rehearsal" against the Dallas Mavericks.
For the competitive portion of the contest, Snyder played a nine-man rotation that did not involve any of the aforementioned candidates. Instead, he had Lu Dort play the backup four minutes. This trend could create interesting advantages and disadvantages for the Hawks over the course of the 2026-27 campaign.
Dort has the strength to guard bigger players in Atlanta
Basketball Reference lists Dort as 6-foot-4, 220 pounds. He played shooting guard and small forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder for seven seasons. However, he guarded taller wings and forwards such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Jayson Tatum. It seems like Snyder wants to use Dort in a similar way.
In their preseason game against the Indiana Pacers, Dort started in place of Nickeil Alexander-Walker (rest). He guarded Pascal Siakam, and Johnson matched up against Aaron Nesmith and Kelly Oubre Jr. While the Hawks' franchise star looks for a bounce-back year defensively, Dort's versatility will allow Johnson to expend more energy as Atlanta's offensive engine.
President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh and Snyder both talked about upping the team's physicality this summer on both ends. Dort welcomes and initiates more contact than Newell and Gueye. While Ejiofor displayed great physical play at St. John's, he does not offer the championship experience that Dort brings.
Dort has an outside shooting edge over the young guys.
The 27-year-old veteran knocks down three-pointers with more volume than Newell, Ejiofor, and Gueye. He shot 34.4% last season on 5.4 attempts per game. However, Dort splashed 41.2% and 39.4% of his triples in the two seasons prior, averaging at least two made per game.
Atlanta is counting on Dort to make his open threes to maximize space and driving lanes for players like Johnson, Alexander-Walker, and Dyson Daniels.
Double-big lineups could pose problems for the Hawks with Dort at the four
The Eastern Conference has several teams that could cause matchup problems for Atlanta if Dort plays power forward.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have a tall and versatile starting frontcourt duo: Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. While Dort could push Mobley off his spot, the 6-foot-11 big man would simply shoot over Dort. Jock Landale's questionable rim protection and lack of lateral movement, along with Dort's height, would be a poor combination against Cleveland's frontcourt.
The Miami Heat paired Giannis Antetokounmpo with Bam Adebayo this summer. At 6-foot-11, 250 pounds, Antetokounmpo plays with an all-time level of physicality. His combination of height, strength, and athleticism would be extremely tough for Dort to slow down.
Snyder would likely have to switch up the defensive assignments, such as matching Daniels or Onyeka Okongwu's minutes with the Heat superstar, to make him work for every point.
Snyder must adjust Dort's role if the Hawks struggle against bigger teams. It will be interesting to see how Atlanta fares with Dort playing power forward off the bench for the first time in his career.
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