Take a gander around the NBA Draft world and it's not hard to understand what analysts expect the Atlanta Hawks to do in June. Equipped with a lottery pick from the New Orleans Pelicans, Atlanta will have a golden opportunity to land a high-level talent in a stacked class, with point guard being the position that many are focused on.
Though it makes sense on paper to find a long-term replacement for Trae Young, the Hawks must resist temptation and base their decision on one simple question: Do they fit with Jalen Johnson?
Young's departure from the Hawks has been attributed to many factors, including his lackluster play on defense. The overlooked reality of what ultimately led to Atlanta trading him, however, was that he no longer fit with Johnson on offense.
As Johnson emerged as one of the most dynamic playmakers in the NBA, Young's ball-dominant style simply clashed with the manner in which the Hawks could best aid their new franchise player.
As such, going into the 2026 NBA Draft and targeting a point guard would be a fool's errand if said player can't ideally fit next to Johnson. There are several point guards in this class with captivating off-ball potential and even a proven willingness to play in such a capacity.
If the Hawks simply take the best point guard available based on talent alone, however, they'll be wasting a pick and setting their progress back when growth is possible in multiple phases.
Hawks can't afford to draft a ball-dominant point guard in 2026
The Hawks' offense and ball movement have ranked among the best in the NBA since Young played his final game for the franchise on Dec. 27, 2025. Atlanta has ranked No. 2 in assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio, No. 4 in assist ratio, and No. 12 in offensive rating.
The Hawks have also run the second-fewest isolation sets and rank No. 10 in passes made during that time, which speaks to their preference for a free-flowing offense that avoids ball-stopping tendencies.
With this in mind, bringing in a point guard to simply check a dated box would do them no favors. Instead, they need to prioritize talent and fit in equal measure when deciding who they should utilize a potentially landscape-altering lottery pick on this coming June.
That may ultimately bring them back to the point guard position, but if said player has ball-stopping tendencies or is even just an erratic shooter, they may not be the ideal player no matter how talented they are.
Atlanta isn't just playing well since trading Young—it's ranking among the best teams in the NBA. It's No. 8 in net rating since Jan. 1 and has an impressive degree of sustainability with four of its five starters on multi-year deals. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 27, is the only one of those four starters who's older than 25.
With a talented young core, long-term stability, and a clearly established franchise player, the Hawks must ensure they don't sabotage their own potential by disregarding the importance of fit.