The Atlanta Hawks entered the 2026 postseason as one of the hottest teams in the NBA. They finished last season with a 46-36 record, going 21-9 over their final 30 contests. However, fans may remember Atlanta's embarrassing Game 6 89-140 loss to the New York Knicks more than the team's regular season success.
The Hawks were the only team to win at least two games against New York in the playoffs, but they know the roster needs improvements.
One of the biggest problems in that playoff series was the Knicks out-muscling Atlanta. They were simply the bigger, stronger team, but the Hawks already made two moves this summer to fix this issue for the short and long term.
Lu Dort trade makes Hawks stronger and more physical against wings
Atlanta traded Zaccharie Risacher, who fell out of the playoff rotation, for Luguentz Dort and Ryan Nembhard this summer.
Dort undeniably brings grit, toughness, aggressive defense, and a championship mentality to the Hawks. Despite being listed at 6'4", he can match up against guards and wings due to his combination of strength and lateral quickness.
Jalen Johnson struggled to keep OG Anunoby out of the paint throughout last season's playoff series. The Knicks forward hurt the Hawks with backdoor cuts and slashes to the rim after attacking closeouts. Dort could slow down wings/forwards like Anunoby due to his strength and low center of gravity. He holds his ground well against players who try to back him down in the post.
Dort had extensive experience guarding star-scoring wings during his Oklahoma City Thunder tenure. He has covered LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum, and other players who have height advantages over him. These players have the height to shoot over the shorter Dort, but he forces them to stay on the perimeter because they have a tougher time backing him down in the post.
Dort joins Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to form one of the best defensive trios in the league. Atlanta ranked inside the top-10 in defensive rating at 112.9 in 2025-26, and this number projects to improve with Dort next season.
Zuby Ejiofor could help Atlanta in this area sooner than some might think
The Hawks took Zuby Ejiofor with the No. 23 pick in this summer's draft. He joins the backup power forward room with Asa Newell and Mouhamed Gueye. However, Gueye could be hurt to start the 2026-27 campaign, and Newell's defensive struggles could limit his role. If that is the case, Ejiofor's aggressive defense and high motor could lift the Hawks' toughness in just a few short months.
The 22-year-old played most of his summer league minutes at center against taller players. However, at 6-feet-9, 240 pounds, He proved he could hold seven-footers off the glass and prevent them from scoring inside easily. Ejiofor dominated Thunder rookie Aday Mara, posting a 19-point, 15-rebound double-double in Atlanta's victory over Oklahoma City.
While Hawks fans have yet to see Ejiofor play his first regular-season contest, they know what to expect - hard-nosed, aggressive defense each time he steps on the floor.
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