Losing a series in a brutal way is an impossible thing to forget. Hawks fans, players, coaches and executives are all in the same boat. They want to try their best to put their elimination behind them and focus on the future, because it's bright. Real bright.
Recency bias can't cloud what this group's built in such a short period of time, but even if it does, the Knicks gave the Hawks an offseason outline that couldn't be clearer. Of all the many differences that were put on display in the recent six-game series between the two ball clubs, one was particularly noticeable. Atlanta needs to bolster their wing room.
OG Anunoby provided New York with something Atlanta couldn't match
Whenever he was on the floor, he looked like a man among boys. The final game of the series was a clear outlier in every way, but his early dominance was no surprise, as he'd grown used to carrying over his spectacular play from night to night.
He averaged a wildly impressive 21.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in the first-round series, shooting over 60% from the field and 50% from three. The efficiency at which he operated with gave him and the rest of the team immense confidence in their ability to put the young Hawks to bed.
OG Anunoby has played one hell of a series.
— Zach Langley (@ZachLangleyNBA) April 26, 2026
There were a few things that stood out amidst his incredible production. His timely shotmaking was key. Early on in the series, Atlanta wasn't getting broken down by any means. Anunoby was knocking down tough shot after tough shot, giving the Hawks fits.
The detrimental adjustment came when he leaned into his strength. He kept up the same efficiency from the outside, while using his driving ability to manipulate Atlanta's coverage, and it worked like a charm. He made the Hawks' wing room look little. Their inexperience killed them as the series progressed, and Anunoby made sure to take full advantage.
There's no question as to where the Hawks need to improve this summer
They had nobody to slow him down. Every contender has an efficient wing stopper. While Dyson Daniels should be that guy, Atlanta can't afford to take him off a team's best player, which is more often than not a guard.
This leaves room for whoever is in the opponent's forward room to dominate. The Knicks were a nightmare matchup, as they have plenty of quality forwards just waiting to attack. Of course, responsibility falls on Jalen Johnson to improve defensively, but the Hawks could have a golden opportunity to make life easier for him on that end with some key additions.
There's no definitive answer on how active Atlanta will be in free agency and the trade market, but they would be silly not to inquire about some proven lockdown wings. That's one of the final things delaying them from jumping into contention.
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