Recency bias is a crazy thing. The 2025-26 season was a success for the Atlanta Hawks. The way it ended painted an unfair picture of their situation heading into the summer. There's plenty of young talent on the roster, and they have something not many recent versions of the Hawks have had. Leverage.
They have to use this leverage to their advantage as they look to build on what they've achieved in such a short period of time. Regardless of how young teams like the Hawks perform all regular season, though, how the playoffs transpire always has a major impact into how the organizations handle their summer decisions. More often than not, they make a mistake they soon regret.
Atlanta has done this before and they need to learn from their mistake
This is familiar territory for Hawks fans. Just one year removed from their 2021 Eastern Conference Finals run, Atlanta was eliminated in five games in the first-round against the Miami Heat. Despite being in the Play-In Tournament, fans still had better expectations due to their recent success. Trae Young set the bar high.
Upon elimination, it was clear Young was in desperate need of some help. They didn't wait long to make a change, and it ultimately backfired tremendously. They acquired Dejounte Murray, another point guard, who's tenure here ultimately put the nail in the coffin for any immediate postseason success.
Making this move effectively killed a promising era, and the Hawks can't afford to make a similar mistake this time around. Their young core is far too elite to risk dismantling it for a slight upgrade. There are plenty of stars set to be available, and if they can buy low on one, great. If not, there would be no reason to engage.
A strategic team-building approach will keep the Hawks on track
General Manager Onsi Saleh doesn't have an easy job, but this group has done everything they can to make it as simple as possible. Jalen Johnson is on an incredible contract, and so are Dyson Daniels and Onyeka Okongwu.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker's deal is so good, it shouldn't even be mentioned in the same conversation as the others. The Most Improved Player is making around $15 million for at least the next two seasons. That's unreal value.
As long as they don't panic, and just stay the course, they'll jump into contention in no time. It's easy to fold and make a blockbuster move when such dominant stars become available, but it doesn't take long for a squad to get off course.
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