Buckle up, Hawks fans. If Kenny Smith's latest comment about the franchise bears any credence, the next half-decade is about to be glorious. The Jet had this to say on First Take earlier this week:
"Maybe we're seeing Oklahoma City 2.0, the start of that in the Atlanta Hawks."
How Atlanta's core actually resembles Oklahoma City's of yesteryear
OKC's core from 2023-2024 has more than a few commonalities with Atlanta's.
The most obvious comparison is the plethora of elite perimeter defenders. Atlanta boasts Alexander-Walker and Daniels, who are extremely versatile and lengthy, just like their OKC counterparts, Dort and Caruso.
Atlanta's also got their do-it-all wing in Jalen Johnson, arguably a better version of OKC's Jalen Williams. Add to this Onyeka Okongwu's ability to knock down a three like Holmgren, and you've got a fearsome frontcourt that rivals Oklahoma City.
Hawks' youngster Zaccharie Risacher is an interesting piece that could theoretically develop into an elite 3-and-D type player with plus length, resembling a taller Isaiah Joe or Aaron Wiggins.
I've also got a tremendous amount of faith in Mo Gueye, the second most impactful defender from the 2023 NBA Draft. While he may lack the offensive wherewithal of Holmgren, he's already at or around Chet's ability to guard all five positions on the court—just check out some of Gueye's tape guarding Jalen Brunson in the playoffs.
Atlanta is one 2026 NBA Draft piece away from elevation
While I do think Kenny's comments are a bit over the top (largely due to the fact that the Hawks currently lack a true SGA-type talent), Atlanta has an ace up its sleeve that could extremely easily remedy this issue.
Owning the rights to the better of the Pelicans' and Bucks' 2026 first round pick, the Hawks have their eyes set on a top-four selection.
With the coin flips earlier this week, the lottery positions are set in stone, giving the Hawks a 43.2 percent chance at a top-four selection. Should they win this (nearly) 50-50 coin flip, they'll have the ability to select one of the elite talents in Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, or the hometown hero Caleb Wilson.
Even if Atlanta doesn't move up, there are a plethora of shot-creating guards available at the seven to nine range that would fit beautifully with the Hawks. After all, this is the exact archetype that would slot in perfectly with their young core.
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