Much of the league-wide discourse this offseason hasn't surrounded the Atlanta Hawks, and understandably so.
They didn't do anything flashy. They didn't overcorrect after an early postseason exit like many organizations did. After an impressive back-half of the 2025-26 season, they kept most of their squad together, with the exception of adding a few key bench pieces.
Their starting five remained perfectly intact. With only half a season to show for it, Atlanta felt they needed to run it back with the group. In such a short period of time, they became one of the league's most effective units, and they'll look to carry that momentum into the new campaign.
Hawks fans aren't the only ones catching on to their undeniable rise
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report put out a preseason ranking of each starting-five in the NBA, and to the surprise of many, Atlanta ranked in the top ten.
Buckley had this to say about having the Hawks at ten:
"This fivesome logged nearly 400 minutes together last season and trounced opponents by 20.3 points per 100 possessions when it did. That said, that successful run was a relatively short one (30 games), and it largely came against a favorable schedule down the stretch."
Those five?
CJ McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu.
Upon arriving to Atlanta in January, McCollum actually began his Hawks tenure on the bench. At the time, Head Coach Quin Snyder was still trying to make it work with second-year forward Zaccharie Risacher, and felt the veteran's services were better suited in the second unit.
The chemistry between him and the starters quickly became undeniable, though, and it forced the bold change in philosophy. Atlanta made winning their top priority, and their starting lineup gave them a real chance to do so.
They quickly proved to be so effective that Atlanta didn't make any major alterations in a pivotal summer. With the right pieces off the bench, they felt their starting lineup could continue their upward trajectory.
Another leap from a few key players could help them be correct
One of the biggest reasons the Hawks' five-man starting group found so much success towards the back-half of last season was the impressive leap that several players took.
Jalen Johnson earned All-NBA honors for the first time in his career, during the first season he operated as a top option.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker became a 20-point per game scorer for the first time in his career, winning Most Improved Player.
Dyson Daniels, despite a dip in outside shooting percentage, advanced mightily as a playmaker and rebounder.
With everyone bought in, the Hawks should have no problem picking up right where they left off. Their starting lineup absolutely deserves this top-ten ranking.
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