Did The Atlanta Hawks Actually Improve During This Offseason?

Where do the Hawks stand after a relatively lowkey offseason?

Apr 23, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) drives on New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) in the fourth quarter during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This offseason, the Atlanta Hawks have made some moves but have been relatively quiet. After last summer, when the Hawks looked ready to compete in the Eastern Conference, they hit the reset button by midseason and chose to rebuild for the future.

When making that decision, Atlanta chose to make small moves at a point in the season when they seemed out of playoff contention. However, Atlanta shocked many, mounting a late-season rally to reach the playoffs and eventually being defeated by the eventual champion New York Knicks in six games.

Afterwards, it became a constant conversation about whether the Hawks would make a splash move for another star or continue their rebuild. But by summer, the Hawks' front office had decided what it wanted to do, after many fans grew anxious for a big move.

By June, the Hawks front office decided not to go big-star hunting and to finish out the rebuild. But with the moves that they made, did the Hawks actually get better, or did they regress?

Did the Hawks improve this offseason?

Apr 6, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) reacts with guard Buddy Hield (8) after making a three point shot against the New York Knicks during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Before diving in, let's take a look at the moves that Atlanta has made so far this offseason. For starters, the Hawks had a solid NBA Draft, as they drafted both Kingston Flemings and Zuby Ejiofor in the first round, and then drafted Henri Veesar in the second round after a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.

After the draft, Atlanta went on to re-sign veteran CJ McCollum to a one-year deal, Jock Landale to a one-year deal, and signed Jalen Wilson to a two-way contract. Trade-wise, Atlanta acquired Luguentz Dort from the Oklahoma City Thunder and Ryan Nembhard from Dallas in a three-team trade for former first-round pick Zaccharie Risacher.

The Hawks also got Aaron Wiggins from the Thunder in exchange for draft considerations and Devin Carter from the Sacramento Kings for draft considerations as well. With all these moves adding up to minor adjustments to the roster, it is still enough to be considered a bit of an upgrade from last season.

When looking at these pieces, it is important to point out that the Hawks' main issue last season was experience. Outside of a few players, Atlanta didn't have much experience on the roster, and this summer they've added more veteran presence to help in that regard.

They have also focused more on the defensive side of the court, as they added multiple reliable defenders to address those issues and improve floor spacing. Despite it not being much, Atlanta has made the smart choice of trying to see if they can build on the momentum of last season and potentially improve in a tougher Eastern Conference.

While things don't look great on paper, the Hawks have a chance at another solid season this year and at putting the rest of the league on notice again.