The Atlanta Hawks are arguably one of the most interesting teams in the Eastern Conference right out of the gate for the NBA 2026-2027 season and into a promising turning point. Longtime franchise point guard Trae Young has left in free agency to join Washington, bringing an era to a close and a new chapter where the emphasis will be on defense and depth instead of one high-usage star. The Hawks, which play in the Southeast Division, have a history when it comes to championships that is significant and is a heavy weight on the franchise's offseason moves.
This is a guide for both sides of the story: the fans' side, and the exact changes for the Atlanta Hawks going into 2026-27.
The Atlanta Hawks franchise has its origins in 1946 as the Buffalo/Tri-Cities Blackhawks. During the decades, the team has become a sporting and speedy club and it has always been known for its high flying offense. The franchise has won one NBA championship in 1958, when it was still in St. Louis, with the team still being mentioned by fans and analysts whenever they discuss the top teams in the Southeast Division.
Players with the closest tie to the franchise's history include Bob Pettit and Dominique Wilkins, who would become synonymous with the Atlanta Hawks brand for the next few generations of Hawks fans. The history of the franchise is important to consider, but it also sets the bar to be looked upon by larger audiences watching on national television and more attention paid to every move on the court made by a team with a long-standing winning record, versus a team still trying to find a winning season.
It's known throughout the league that the Atlanta Hawks are a very athletic, fast paced club that has a history of high flying offense. It affects everything from the front office's approach to trades and free agency to the way the coaching staff sets up their system and attacks and defends.
At the beginning of 2026-27, it's changing in real time. The staff is transitioning away from the aggressive guard-heavy Atlanta offense of the Young era towards a more defense-first, switchable system with a focus on perimeter defense with Luguentz Dort and two-way versatility with Jonathan Kuminga. For long-time Hawks fans, the team they've watched this season will undoubtedly be in transition, with a brand familiar heritage but an engine drive significantly different from what it's known for in years past.
National perception of a franchise is also influenced by rivalries. The Atlanta Hawks' biggest rivalry is with the Boston Celtics, who routinely garner attention in the games and have decades of playoff history against one another.
The Atlanta Hawks' 2026-2027 season features a significant shakeup as Trae Young signed with Washington in free agency, with Atlanta shifting towards a more balanced and deeper roster. The front office acquired guard Devin Carter and forward Jonathan Kuminga via a three-team trade, plus retooled around another trade that involved acquiring Luguentz Dort and Ryan Nembhard.
After all, this is the actual conclusion of the Trae Young era and the inception of a new playing style, one which will be grounded in defense, depth and not a single ball-dominant player.
The Young years were spent at Atlanta where they always struggled to make good runs in the playoffs, but never made a breakthrough. The 2025-26 season was disappointing and resulted in a lot of changes to the roster this summer rather than simply changing it up.
What to Watch: The biggest challenge facing coaches this season will be developing a new offensive order without a go to shot creator.
Atlanta has a pair of first-round selections to help move the team forward, meeting backcourt playmaking and frontcourt depth needs at the same time in the post-Young era.
| Move | Type | Expected Impact |
| Jonathan Kuminga | Free Agent | Two-way forward upside |
| Devin Carter (from Sacramento) | Trade | Backcourt depth and defense |
| Luguentz Dort (three-team trade) | Trade | Elite perimeter defender |
| Trae Young → Washington | Departure | Loses franchise point guard |
| Gabe Vincent (from Lakers) | Free Agent | Veteran guard depth |
Roster fit analysis: Losing Young is a seismic shift, but Atlanta now has a roster that's deeper, more defensively sound than in many years.
Gabe Vincent, Zuby Ejiofor and Jalen Wilson deliver depth and versatility.
Jonathan Kuminga Ideal player to be a key offensive threat for the first time in his career; his statistical growth is likely.
Kingston Flemings Playmaking development will be a key aspect to watch as Young's primary point guard replacement.
Kingston Flemings' ability to get up and running the NBA offense will greatly influence Atlanta's high and low points this season.
The Atlanta Hawks are a Southeast Division team in the Eastern Conference, which is one of the most competitive divisions in the Conference. Seeding in the playoffs, home-court advantage and, since the play-in tournament was instituted, the possibility of a guaranteed playoff berth or fighting through play-in games for a final playoff seed is determined by the team's positions in the divisional and conference rankings. The Hawks' divisional record, in particular, not overall record, better illustrates how the team with a new roster is doing against the opponents they play most frequently.
Kuminga shines in the role of a feature scorer, Dort leads the way in the defense and Atlanta earns a play-in berth.
Atlanta moves toward the lottery, but the loss of Young's shot creation is hard to make up for.
No — Atlanta is in the transitional/retooling phase, which is about developing a new identity more than title contender.
Each NBA season is a game of changes, whether it be in roster, philosophy, or health that makes the difference, it dictates a team's momentum ahead of the post-season. The Atlanta Hawks' storylines to watch are:
Rosters, coaching staffs and injury situations can shift and change from year to year and from week to week, so don't rely on this projection as fact — the best way to see what the Hawks will look like during the season will be to follow the Hawks' live schedule and box scores.
As with all NBA teams, the Atlanta Hawks' regular season schedule consists of 82 games before the field of playoff teams is determined. This load is split between conference matchups — plus some other games against the likes of the Boston Celtics in the Southeast Division — and a series of rotating interconference games. Every regular-season game is still a game for a franchise that has only 1 championship banner in its history: seeding in the Eastern Conference is still a determinant of home-court advantage; and the play-in round can be decided on a handful of close divisional games.
The season can be divided into distinct phases:
If you're a new Atlanta Hawks fan, knowing the franchise's past isn't just an interesting fact, it's a key part to how the team is covered and talked about in 2026-27. A franchise that hasn't won a single NBA championship has different expectations than one that has won one: Each year is judged, justly or not, by the standard set by Bob Pettit's time. He's conscious that context is why this offseason's moves and the departure of the Young has gained a lot of interest in Atlanta.
It's also the reason the Boston Celtics rivalry holds special significance to Boston Hawks fans — the old rivalries are more emotionally charged to a fan base than newer ones, even in the rebuilding season.
The sports betting platform Atlanta's , sports OKBet provides play-in odds and win totals for the transition period, whereas it provides game by game lines all year round.
The Hawks are looking to start over in 2026-27, relying on defense and depth over one dominant star and with the burden of a franchise that has existed since 1946 and just one championship banner from 1958. This is a transition season: It's a play-in push they need — and how they fare against the other teams in the Southeast Division will dictate as much as the overall record of the season's story. Keep abreast of the Atlanta season, and visit Sports OKBet for up to the minute odds and knowledge.
Established in 1946 as the Buffalo/Tri-Cities Blackhawks.
The Atlanta Hawks won just one NBA title, in 1958 when they were located in St. Louis.
The Atlanta Hawks' home is State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
The Atlanta Hawks play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference.
The biggest rivalry that the Atlanta Hawks have is with Boston Celtics in history.
Yes. Young was picked up in free agency by the Washington Wizards and ended his time in Atlanta.
Atlanta picked up Kingston Flemings (No. 8) and Zuby Ejiofor (No. 23).
In a three-team trade, they took Jonathan Kuminga and obtained Luguentz Dort from the Nets, and they released Trae Young in free agency.
Remarkably, a play-in is possible but a top-6 seed is unlikely in this transition year.
