The Hawks have prioritized flexibility, development, and long-term thinking under new president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh.
The team has made a number of shrewd moves to not only recoup draft picks following the Dejounte Murray trade, but also bring in consecutive Most Improved Player award winners in Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker the last two offseasons.
Additionally, Atlanta went into last season as one of the three youngest rosters in the NBA, and they have now added the likes
of Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar through the 2026 NBA Draft to that core.
Now, national outlets are taking notice. And ESPN, who puts out an annual future power ranking of all 30 NBA teams based on a selection of criteria, have moved the Hawks into the top 10 for their recent work.
Here is the relevant blurb:
9. Atlanta Hawks
Final FPR rating: 61
Three-year outlook: After whiffing on Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick in 2024, the Hawks still need to find a top-10 player if they want to contend for a title — or they need Jalen Johnson to make another leap to reach that rarefied air. But president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh (who notably wasn’t in charge for the Risacher pick) has instilled confidence in his ability to improve his roster. Atlanta hasn’t hit any home runs with recent trades, but it has patched together a strong streak of singles and doubles. — KramRoster question looming: The Hawks have done a good job balancing their finances, with no player on the roster earning more than $30 million over the next three seasons. Will that change next summer when Atlanta could have significant cap space? Veterans CJ McCollum, Luguentz Dort and Jock Landale are on expiring contracts. — Marks
FPR nugget to know: The Hawks’ projected starting lineup of Johnson, McCollum, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Onyeka Okongwu was the second best across the league, outscoring opponents by about 19 points per 100 possessions. There is season-to-season consistency in that lineup and in the coaching staff, which can help this team be more than the sum of its parts. — Oliver
Bold prediction for 2027-29: The reimagined Hawks will win more games over the next three seasons than they did during the best stretch of Trae Young’s Atlanta tenure. From 2020 to 2023, the Hawks went 125-111 — an average of 43 wins across an 82-game schedule. After trading Young to the Wizards in January, Atlanta finished with a 28-15 record, which is equivalent to a 54-win pace. — Golliver
Previous ranking: 12
What do you think? Is this a fair ranking? Please let me know in the comments below.
