Deadline to extend Jalen Johnson & other key Hawks preseason dates for 2024-25

Another season of Atlanta Hawks basketball is nearly upon us. The Hawks have a new-look roster and plenty of doubters to disprove coming off a down campaign in 2023-24. We have all the important dates fans should know about before the 2024-25 regular season opener. 

September 30 – Veterans allowed to report/Media Day

The Hawks announced their training camp schedule, including media day set for September 30

Teams participating outside of North America for preseason games – the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets, who will play in Abu Dhabi – will open training camp on September 25 with the Nuggets’ media day on September 26 (the Celtics held theirs on September 24).

Veterans on all other teams – including the likes of Trae Young, Bogdan Bogdanovic, et al Hawks – can first report for training camp on September 30.

October 1 – 1st Day of training camp

The Hawks will hold part of their training camp in Athens at the University of Georgia campus. It is the first time the Hawks will hold camp away from home since the 2017-18 season. The Hawks went 24-58 that season, winning 19 fewer games than the season before.

It was their fifth straight year of holding camp away from Atlanta and ended up being former head coach Mike Budenholzer’s final season at the helm.

October 4 & 6 – Abu Dhabi games

The Celtics and Nuggets will ring in the 2024-25 preseason with a tilt across the pond in Abu Dhabi. It is a battle of the last two NBA champions, with the Celtics the reigning champions and the Nuggets looking to return to their 2022-23 glory.

The Hawks took on the Milwaukee Bucks at Etihad Arena in the Abu Dhabi games in 2022, winning both games by at least 9 points.

October 6 – NBA Canada Series

The Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards will meet in Montreal for the NBA Canada Series on October 6. There will be ties to the Hawks to watch on both sides of the ball when these two teams meet.

Toronto rosters former Hawks big man Bruno Fernando, who is coming off his second stint with Atlanta and was left in limbo while the Hawks sorted through the Dejounte Murray trade. 

Washington signed former Hawks starter Saddiq Bey in free agency this offseason.

He will not be playing in this game as he recovers from a torn ACL. But the Wizards employ former Hawks team president Travis Schlenk and selected one-time projected No. 1 pick Alexandre Sarr – who ducked workouts with the Hawks – No. 2 in the 2024 NBA Draft.

October 8 – Hawks’ 1st preseason game

The Hawks will face off against the Indiana Pacers in the preseason opener for both squads on October 8. State Farm was kinder than the road for the Hawks, who went 21-20 in their friendly confines and were 15-26 when away.

However, they were 0-4 against the Pacers, who finished 11 wins better and four spots higher in the Eastern Conference standings.

October 12-13 – Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend

Former Hawks swingman Vince Carter (2018-2020) and ex-Atlanta Dream head coach Michael Cooper (2014-17) will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Sunday, October 13.

Carter is the 22nd player with Hawks ties to go into the Hall.

October 17 – Hawks’ preseason finale

The Hawks will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in their preseason finale on October 17. Atlanta split their two meetings in 2023-24.

The Thunder are a formidable foe, finishing with the Western Conference’s best record last season. They should provide a nice tune-up for the Hawks before they get into the regular season.

October 18 – 2024-25 preseason ends

The league has an eight-game slate scheduled for the final day of the preseason.

October 21 – rosters set for 2024-25 regular season

The Hawks’ 15-man roster is all but set with Kevon Harris and Jordan Bowden occupying two exhibit 10 slots and the trio of Dominick Barlow, Keaton Wallace, and Seth Lundy taking up the three allotted two-way contract slots.

October 21 – Deadline to extend Jalen Johnson

This is arguably the most important date on this list. Jalen Johnson proved his talent with a breakout 2023-24 campaign that was only stunted by durability issues. Johnson planned on taking steps to address those issues and has been a fixture in the gym.

Johnson is expected to land an extension ranging anywhere from $125 million to $150 million.

The latter seems like a greater possibility the longer the Hawks wait, especially if Johnson is successful in his attempts to improve his durability. Otherwise, he will likely hit restricted free agency.

October 22 – Start of the regular season

A pair of games kicks off the NBA regular season, with the Celtics hosting the Pacers before the Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Los Angeles Lakers in the later tilt. The Hawks will host the Brooklyn Nets in the regular season opener on October 23.