Hawks Stun NBA With Massive Jump Into ESPN’s Top 10 Future List

Forward Jalen Johnson is the main reason for this rise. He is now the face of the franchise. Johnson made his first All-Star team after averaging 22.5 points and 10.3 rebounds. He also dished out 7.9 assists in 72 games last season. ESPN’s Bobby Marks praised the front office for balancing the books. Marks noted that no player will earn more than $30 million over the next three years. This financial flexibility gives Atlanta a real chance to add talent later.

A Strong Core on the Floor

The starting lineup looks like one of the best in the entire league. ESPN’s Dean Oliver ran the numbers on the group of Johnson, CJ McCollum, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Onyeka Okongwu. That unit outscored opponents by about 19 points for every 100 possessions. Sports Illustrated added that Okongwu shot 48 percent from the field and 75 percent from the line. He averaged 15.2 points and 7.6 rebounds while adding 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks.

A franchise-record 30.1 assists per game saw Atlanta top the NBA. This ball movement created a fast and fluid offense that kept defenses guessing. The team finished 46-36 and won the Southeast Division title. They secured the sixth seed in the East after losing a tiebreaker to Toronto. The Knicks knocked them out in six games during the first round. That 2026 postseason featured Atlanta leading the series 2-1 while being the sole squad to defeat New York twice.

The Missing Piece for a Title

There is still work to do before this team can win a championship. Zach Kram stated the Hawks must secure a top-ten player to challenge for a championship. The team also needs Johnson to make another leap in his development. In 2024, Atlanta missed out on Zaccharie Risacher with the first overall selection. This mistake means they must find star power through other means.

The front office has a plan to get more cash for a big move. CJ McCollum, Luguentz Dort, and Jock Landale are all on expiring contracts. Such a configuration would result in Atlanta holding substantial cap space by next summer. On Jan. 9, the Hawks obtained McCollum and Corey Kispert from the Washington Wizards.

That trade sent Trae Young to Washington and was first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania. McCollum averaged 18.7 points after the trade to help the team. The season starts Oct. 21 at the Orlando Magic at 7 p.m. ET. If Johnson keeps growing and the cap space opens up, Atlanta could be a serious threat soon.