The early portion of the 2026-27 season for the Atlanta Hawks, for the most part, has been underwhelming. Their most recent defeat at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans rubbed salt in the wound.
An inconsistent on-court product typically results in change. However, change doesn't always have to be drastic. A small adjustment can go a long way, and while it didn't help the Hawks steal a victory over the Pelicans, having Asa Newell back in the lineup could benefit them heavily down the line.
Atlanta, finally, decided to go deeper than a nine-man rotation. They played ten guys on Saturday evening, with Newell - their second-year forward - as the final player off the bench until the main group was pulled.
Newell's Halloween saw a strong finish - apart from his playing time
On Sunday morning, soon after his real season debut, the Hawks announced that they've exercised his third-year option for the 2027-28 season.
Hawks exercised Asa Newell’s third-year option this morning
— Zach Langley (@ZachLangleyNBA) November 1, 2026
This move was a no-brainer, regardless of if he entered the rotation or not.
At just $3.5 million, there's little risk involved with bringing back a talented forward three seasons removed from being a first-round pick. Newell's flashed excellence in his early career, and the more he sees the floor, the more comfortable he'll become.
Not only does he have an impressive handle and ability to defend multiple positions, but his willingness to let it fly from deep meshes perfectly with the offense the Hawks are trying to instill.
Newell's efficiency from deep was arguably the most impressive ability he displayed during his underrated rookie season. If he can keep a percentage from the outside anything similar to his first NBA season, he'll remain in the rotation for a long time.
They need as much shooting as they can get, as the squad's recent performances from deep have been concerning.
Any bit of outside stability is welcome in a struggling Hawks offense
The defense certainly hasn't been perfect, either, but Atlanta's offense was dreadful in their recent battle with New Orleans.
They knocked down just eight of their 46 attempts from deep. That's 17%.
Newell, in his first real action of the season, was actually just one point shy of being Atlanta's leading scorer. In 19 minutes, he made an undeniable impact, despite the loss.
While he shot 1-6 from deep, that number shouldn't remain, as his track record should keep both fans and staff confident. Now that he's officially locked in for next year, too, he'll have even more time to blossom into the versatile weapon they know he can become.
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