News Hawks Team Notes

[Atlanta Hawks]

Hawks lose plot late in defeat in Toronto

The Atlanta Hawks suffered a disheartening defeat to the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night, losing 134-117 in a game that was more competitive than the final scoreline might suggest. The Hawks trailed by just one point heading into the fourth quarter, but managed just 11 points in the final frame and were outscored by 16 in the period. Atlanta’s 11 fourth quarter points were the fewest they’ve scored in any quarter this season.

The Hawks are winless against the Raptors this season (0-3), and after last night’s defeat, their losing streak against Toronto stands at five games dating back to last season.

Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett led the way for Toronto, pouring in 29 points apiece. Scottie Barnes added 20 points and seven rebounds. Sandro Mamukelashvili turned in an all-around performance, finishing with 13 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.

For Atlanta, Jalen Johnson continued to make his case for an All-Star bid, going for 30 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, a Toronto native, led all scorers with 31 points. Dyson Daniels had a nice night, finishing with 20 points on 9-for-13 shooting to go along with 12 assists, two steals and two blocks.

The Hawks, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, were without Kristaps Porzingis (reconditioning) and Luke Kennard (back soreness), in addition to Trae Young, who missed his third consecutive game with a right quad contusion. Jakob Poeltl (lower back strain) was the only player sidelined for the Raptors.

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How It Happened​

A sluggish start from Toronto saw the Hawks lead by as many as six in the early going, though turnovers combined with shaky transition defense and mediocre outside shooting gave the Raptors a 35-29 lead after 12 minutes. Toronto scored 10 points off of Atlanta’s five first quarter turnovers, while committing just one themselves – a massive swing in the opening frame. Atlanta shot just 3-for-11 from deep in the first quarter.

The game heated up in the second quarter, with both teams topping the 40-point mark in the period. Dyson Daniels was instrumental for Atlanta during this stretch, scoring 12 points on perfect 5-for-5 shooting (2-for-2 at the free-throw stripe) and dishing out 4 assists.

While the Hawks were clicking offensively, they had a really hard time keeping Toronto out of the paint on the other end of the floor, conceding 26 paint points to the Raptors (on 13-for-16 shooting) in the second quarter. By halftime, Atlanta trailed 77-70.

Atlanta’s offense continued to roll in the third quarter, with their outside shooting and ball security playing a pivotal role in their offensive success. The Hawks posted a 59% three-point attempt rate in the period, and shot 8-for-16 from the perimeter, with five different players cashing in from beyond the arc. They turned the ball over just once.

Additionally, contrary to how the rest of the game went, Atlanta dominated the glass in the third quarter, grabbing five offensive rebounds while keeping Toronto off the glass entirely on the other end. Atlanta outscored the Raptors 11-0 in second-chance points in the third, and cut the deficit to 107-106 heading into the final frame.

The beginning of the fourth quarter was where the game was lost for Atlanta. The Hawks committed a stunning seven turnovers in the first five minutes of the period while failing to score a single point, shooting 0-for-6 from the floor and 0-for-2 at the line over the course of a 16-0 Raptors run to blow the game wide open. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored Atlanta’s first points of the quarter with 6:49 remaining to cut the deficit to 14.

Speaking on Toronto’s fourth quarter run after the game, Quin Snyder said:

“First and foremost, they ran off our mistakes, turnovers. We had a couple of shots that didn’t fall, but it’s hard to defend against those turnovers. I thought we did a pretty good job during the game reacting to some of the physicality and the pressure. We settled in a little bit from the beginning of the game. But that stretch in a game like that, it’s tough to overcome.”

“As I’ve said, our offense really impacts [our defense] – like for all teams – but in our case, when they’re scoring, it makes it more difficult. And it’s hard to keep them from scoring when you’re turning the ball over, it just cascades.”

To their credit, the Hawks didn’t stop competing until the final buzzer sounded, however, playing on the second night of a back-to-back they just looked fatigued and out of sync in the final period, shooting a miserable 4-for-19 from the field and 1-for-4 from the free-throw line en route to their lowest scoring quarter of the season (11 points). They finished the game on the wrong side of a 134-117 defeat.

It is worth noting that this was the second night of a back-to-back for Atlanta, and the Hawks were without three of their top offensive weapons in Trae Young, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kennard, which certainly didn’t make life easier for them late against a physical Raptors side. Nonetheless, it was still an ugly way to lose a game that the Hawks were competitive in through three quarters.

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Turnovers were the killer tonight for Atlanta. They averaged 11.5 turnovers per game in their last two games against New York and Minnesota (both wins), before committing 16 miscues in last night’s defeat*.

While the final turnover margin doesn’t look all that bad, five out of Toronto’s 14 turnovers occurred during the final seven minutes of the game when the game was essentially out of reach. The Hawks are 2-12 this season when their opponents outscore them in points off of turnovers.

*Jalen Johnson (four turnovers) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (six turnovers) combined for 10 out of Atlanta’s 16 turnovers in the game.

Another area where Toronto had a significant advantage last night was in points from the mid-range. Per cleaningtheglass, the Raptors shot 18-for-31 (58.1%) on ‘mid-range’ shots* while Atlanta went just 10-for-28 (35.7%). Brandon Ingram — a renowned master of the mid-range — and Scottie Barnes did most of the damage from this area for Toronto.

*Defined as field goal attempts taken between 4-feet away from the basket and the three-point line.

While Atlanta had a higher three-point attempt rate and hit five more threes than Toronto, the Raptors mid-range proficiency and the edge they gained at the free-throw line (+8) proved to make the difference on the scoreboard.

While there were not a lot of positives for Atlanta last night, Dyson Daniels deserves a shoutout for his effort on both ends of the floor. Despite his outside shot abandoning him this season, Daniels has still proven to be an impactful offensive player thanks to his off-ball movement as well as his willingness to push the pace and generate early shot clock paint touches.

Early in the second quarter, Daniels gets into the lane off the Raptors turnover and finds Okongwu for an easy two.

Later on in the period, Okongwu returns the favor, finding Daniels for a pretty backdoor slam.

A few plays later, Daniels shows off the off-ball prowess once again, catching RJ Barrett napping before finishing at the rim with force.

Daniels finished the evening with 20 points, 12 assists and just one (!) turnover. He also grabbed five boards and added four ‘stocks’ to round out his performance.

Credit to Daniels for his play last night.

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The Hawks will have a chance avenge themselves in their next outing, taking on this very same Raptors team in Atlanta on Monday night. Atlanta will hope to get Young, Porzingis and Kennard back in the lineup for that one as they look to avoid a regular-season series sweep against Toronto.

Tipoff is at 7:30 PM EST on FanDuel Sports Network.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/anal...analysis-breakdown-video-quotes-jalen-johnson

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Hawks still can’t get over Raptors hump, lose 118-100

The Atlanta Hawks were in Toronto on Monday evening to face the Raptors. It has been a rough time for the Hawks whenever they’ve come in contact with the Raptors this season, and it continued on Saturday when they took their third loss of the season with them.

This time around, the Hawks had Luke Kennard and Kristaps Porzingis at their disposal after they missed the last game. Trae Young was still out with a right quad contusion, and things got interesting with him hours before the game, with reports coming out that he and his team were working with the franchise on a trade.

Nonetheless, there was a game that needed to played.

Zaccharie Risacher set up Dyson Daniels to get the Hawks on the board.

Zacch touches the paint and sets up Dyson for a floater pic.twitter.com/LwuZfreuHZ

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 6, 2026

Outside of that, shots were hard to come by for the Hawks, and they found themselves in a hole early. Onyeka Okongwu benefited from the Hawks getting on the break and finished this dunk early in the quarter.

Pushing it ahead for an OO slam ️ pic.twitter.com/ZpeRBUbjt0

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 6, 2026

The Raptors have made it hard for the Hawks offensively every time they face them, and it continued in this game as well. The Hawks found themselves as down as 15 points in the first, but they had some life down the stretch after knocking down a few shots.

Kristaps Porzingis was a part of that run, getting a three-pointer and knocking down a pair of free throws.

KP recovers to knock down a three ball pic.twitter.com/vXcV5IJ44T

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 6, 2026

Going into the second quarter, the Hawks found themselves down only five points. Porzingis continued his strong play early in the quarter in hopes of cutting down the Hawks’ deficit.

KP doing it on both ends of the floor pic.twitter.com/Z6qPEdos6y

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 6, 2026

The Hawks couldn’t get out of their own way at times, and by that, it came with fouls. The Raptors were already in the bonus with nine minutes remaining in the second, and Zaccharie Risacher picked up his fourth foul. Despite the fouls, the Hawks were able to continue to cut down their deficit.

Keil in the corner cuts it to 3 pic.twitter.com/7XqWXTUWHl

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 6, 2026

Just when the Hawks thought they had some momentum, the Raptors came back and extended their lead back to double digits. Jalen Johnson did all he could to keep the Hawks in it.

Good pass by Vit better finish by Jalen pic.twitter.com/QVsmYhsZTV

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 6, 2026

The Hawks couldn’t get their deficit out of double digits down the stretch of the second, and they went into halftime trailing 61-49.

It was Risacher’s show in the third quarter, and even though he picked up his fifth foul, he made sure to put his stamp on the game offensively as much as he could.

Zaccharie opens the 3rd with a pair of buckets pic.twitter.com/7L1aMFxmbH

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 6, 2026

Risacher did not stop attacking, and he did what he could to cut the Hawks’ deficit.

Zacch is 4-5 with 9 PTS in the last 6 minutes pic.twitter.com/4FbRKs9pzL

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 6, 2026

No matter how much Risacher did, the Raptors still found a way to keep their lead, and the Hawks had to keep scrapping as much as they could. Luke Kennard used the three-ball to keep the Hawks alive.

Outside inside back outside for a Luke triple pic.twitter.com/3WoAHrqqFQ

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 6, 2026

Going into the fourth quarter, the Hawks trailed 86-73. The Hawks scrapped early in the fourth, and a few shots and stops helped them cut their deficit down to as much as six points. Daniels got it started for the Hawks and scored four straight points, all in the paint.

Nice little step through by Dyson in transition pic.twitter.com/qFNcV5e9zA

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 6, 2026

Kennard then followed it up with a three-pointer.

Luke connects from deep again

7-0 run to start the 4th pic.twitter.com/5TjWYZniep

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 6, 2026

The Hawks once again had momentum brewing, but couldn’t sustain it as the Raptors continued to extend their lead whenever they had a chance. It was the Risacher show again in the second half, and most importantly midway through the fourth where they needed it the most.

Another steal and another Zacch 3-ball pic.twitter.com/jsw1wXGXeL

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 6, 2026

Unfortunately, the hot streak didn’t last for long after the Risacher as he fouled out. From there, the Hawks lost some of their offensive juice and couldn’t get back into the game. In the end, the Raptors proved to be too much to handle for the fourth time this season.

Okongwu finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds, Johnson finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds, and Risacher finished with 16 points.

The Hawks will be back in action on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/recaps/67615/hawks-still-cant-get-over-raptors-hump-lose-118-100

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Hawks offense bogs down as Toronto completes season-series sweep

The Atlanta Hawks concluded a three-game road-trip with a fourth consecutive loss this season against the Toronto Raptors on Monday night at Scotiabank Arena, 118-100.

Onyeka Okongwu led the Hawks with 17 points and 12 rebounds while Zaccharie Risacher added 16 points. For the Raptors, Brandon Ingram led with 19 points, and Scottie Barnes added 18 points.

This game, for the most part, takes a backseat in the context of the larger story emerging from Atlanta regarding Trae Young’s future in Atlanta seemingly coming to an imminent end.

While conversation before and after the game will understandably revolve around this discussion, the Hawks played a game in between against the Raptors — a team which the Hawks have already faced three times already, resulting in three defeats, including one as recently as Saturday.

The Raptors are an interesting matchup for the Hawks, particularly size-wise. The Raptors don’t play a conventional center, starting Collin Murray-Boyles at center alongside a forward line of Ingram and Barnes — both standing at 6-8.

The matchup gives the Hawks a chance to be aggressive themselves on the glass that their opponents typically play with when facing Atlanta. But, as it turned out, the matchup is just a nightmare one for the Hawks that they just cannot contain offensively and struggled to break down defensively.

The Raptors began on the front foot, running out to a 15-4 lead through a combination of easily picking the Atlanta defense — and some excellent early play from Murray-Boyles in the first quarter — but really limiting the Hawks offensively in the opening stretch. We’ll have a look at that opening stretch — not that it was the pivotal moment of this game but I thought it was, somewhat, emblematic of this game going forward.

The Hawks had issues breaking the Raptors defense; Toronto can switch a lot of ball screens and can contain penetration, and this contributes to the Hawks not being able to break down the defense.

You can see this in action on this play, where the Raptors switch and contain the drive from Risacher. RJ Barret gets greedy, and that’s what ultimately leads to Dyson Daniels getting free for a floater off the hand-off from Risacher:

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While the Hawks score this basket, the means of which they did so wouldn’t be consistent and they would struggle often to break the Raptors down.

A similar story a few possessions later — the Daniels hand-off to Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Alexander-Walker’s penetration attempt off the Okongwu screen doesn’t yield an avenue to the rim. Okongwu then receives the ball, and he can’t make an inroads to the rim, so he has to get rid of the ball.

Risacher can’t get through the paint, and he has to pass out of his shot attempt as he gets off his feet. Risacher relocates after the pass to Okongwu, gets it back and gets a good look at a three which is missed:

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Later in this stretch, Jalen Johnson is unable to get by Barnes — with help from Ingram looming on any drive — and Johnson settles for a jumpshot instead:

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Defensively, the Raptors moved the ball — and their personnel — well to open up the Hawks’ defense.

On the drive, Barret gets the better of Daniels and gets into an advantageous position going to the rim, forcing the attention of Okongwu to shift, allowing Murray-Boyles a dump off at the rim:

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On the slip screen from Barnes, Immanuel Quickley is able to get in front of Okongwu on the switch. The Hawks do not step up to meet him, but Quickley doesn’t take advantage and Risacher in place on the pass to Barnes. However, Johnson gets drawn to the action and leaves Murray-Boyles enough room to hit the three off the find from Barnes:

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The Raptors break the Hawks down again as they execute a perfect slip pick-and-roll, with Murray-Boyles slipping the screen, Barret splitting the Hawks defense with the bounce-pass, and the extra pass from Murray-Boyles to find the cutting Barnes, who has a free dunk after Okongwu has to rotate to Murray-Boyles:

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The Hawks trailed by as many as 15 points in the first quarter but whittled this down to five points by the end of the first quarter after a late Luke Kennard three-pointer. The Hawks kept pace with Toronto for a part of the second quarter, until the Raptors gradually eked their lead back to 16 points before taking a 14 point lead to halftime.

The third quarter saw a consistent pattern where the Raptors maintained their double-digit lead for much of the quarter, with the lead dipping below double figures only briefly.

After struggling with foul trouble in the first half, Risacher picked up his fifth foul within two minutes of the third quarter beginning. Hawks head coach Quin Snyder kept Risacher in the game, and he provided the Hawks a boost offensively, scoring nine much needed points in the quarter.

The fourth quarter saw the Hawks refuse to go away, cutting the lead down to six points before the Raptors pushed it back out to 14 point — it looked like safe lead in the fourth having held off the Atlanta push and stabilize the lead.

The Hawks were not finished yet, cutting the lead to seven points before squandering offensive possessions as the Raptors hit back-to-back threes to push the lead back to 14 with two minutes to go. The Hawks struggled to break the Raptors down defensively, and costly turnovers did not help their cause.

Alas, the game was now gone at this point, and the Hawks did not call for a timeout, instead choosing to let the clock run out with the starters on the floor as the game got away from the Hawks, falling to a 118-100 defeat and a game-high lead for the Raptors to finish the game.

Following the game, Quin Snyder was disappointed with the Hawks’ aggression and defense to begin the game, particularly with the context of the Hawks’ recent game with the Raptors and believed the Hawks should have expected Toronto’s aggressiveness. Snyder was not pleased with his side’s ball movement, alluding to it as one of the elements the Hawks have to excel at in order to win games.

“I think the biggest thing was our aggression and physicality on defense,” said Snyder. “Digging in at the beginning of the game, we shouldn’t be surprised — we played them two days ago — with how aggressive they are on both ends. We got down and that kind of rallied us and our level raised. It’s difficult when you’re playing from behind for long stretches and we had a couple of times where we could cut it to six, late. I think the final score isn’t representative of what we did in the second half. That said, the score is representative of how they played and how we played. We need to be more shifted, be more connected. We need to keep moving the ball; a lot of times I felt there were open people, and we have to find them. There’s certain things that we have to do in order to have success and we weren’t doing those things at the beginning of the game.”

While the Hawks racked up 28 assists, it doesn’t tell the full picture of the ball movement. The Hawks, at times, did not play with the extra pass and players often settled for jumpshots when they couldn’t break down the defense — Jalen Johnson in particular was guilty of this, and was scoreless in the second half on 0-of-5 shooting (finishing with just 13 points on 5-of-15 shooting from the field and 0-of-4 from three).

Johnson was, by no means, the only player to struggle shooting the ball last night. Daniels shot 4-of-13 from the field, scoring 11 points, and the Raptors played him as most teams should: stand off him from three and when he drives the ball, go for the poke-away/jam him up on drives.

Daniels did well getting to the rim, but his finesse around the basket is still in need of improvement. The same could be said about the Hawks last night as a team, who shot just under 45% at the rim — a tough percentage to shoot at the rim when they did get their chances in behind the Raptors’ perimeter defense:

The Hawks scored just 44 points in the paint, and were blown out of the water by the Raptors in this regard — 64-44 in paint points. Alexander-Walker struggled at the rim (1-of-5), and struggled to shoot in this game, scoring 14 points on 4-of-14 shooting from the field and 2-of-6 from three. Alexander-Walker was well contested as he got to his spots on jumpers, and the finishing at the rim was obviously difficult.

Elsewhere, Kristaps Porzingis struggled shooting the ball, shooting 2-of-12 from the field, but Snyder was pleased with the quality of shots that Porzingis took, even if they missed.

“Having KP back, the ball didn’t go in for him but I thought he took good shots and had an impact on the game,” said Snyder. “He’s an important player for us as well.”

Going back to the paint points/shooting at the rim, perhaps the most damning stat for the Hawks was that the Raptors shot 82% at the rim:

It’s not as though the Raptors excelled everywhere else — it’s average or far below average (aside from the corner three) but when you succeed this much at the rim, it’s very difficult to win games. Had the Raptors even hit close to league average for threes, this would have closer to a 30 point blowout. The Raptors’ drives, and good ball movement, just opened up the lane for the hosts, and the Hawks had little chance to contest at the rim if Okongwu was taken away from the play.

Okongwu had a solid game overall, scoring 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field, 2-of-3 from three, 12 rebounds, three assists, and four steals. Luke Kennard also had a solid game off the bench, scoring 10 points and shooting 3-of-4 from three.

“Luke’s been playing well, and we saw him play well again,” said Snyder of Kennard.

Over his last five games, Kennard has been averaging 10 points a game and 55% shooting from three on 3.6 attempts per game. The momentum for Kennard has been on a positive trend lately, and with an average of three assists per game in this stretch it’s coincided with less Keaton Wallace recently.

While the passing is a bonus from Kennard — and something the Hawks need off the bench — the most encouraging number is the three-point percentage, and that continued last night even if the Hawks did not win the game.

Zaccharie Risacher had an odd game. He picked up two fouls within the first minute-and-a-half of the game, picked up his third foul just as the second quarter began, and then picked up a fourth foul after his entry pass to Porzingis was picked off by Gradey Dick, and Risacher fouled him at the rim for the ‘and-1’ in transition.

A fifth foul to begin the third quarter could have easily negatively affected Risacher on what was looking like an extremely frustrating night. Instead, Risacher’s game ignited, scoring nine points in the third and finishing with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting — all 16 points coming in the second half.

“That’s the right word,” said Snyder when asked about Risacher’s ‘aggressiveness’ in response to his fifth foul. “You can be aggressive in a lot of ways. He threw himself into the game on the defensive end and got rewarded for it.”

To say he was ‘rewarded’ for his aggressiveness might be the wrong takeaway given how poor Risacher was at times in the first half but it was an encouraging response from Risacher in a very frustrating scenario for him in this game.

Frustration is probably the word for the Hawks last night, shooting a frustrating 39% from the field and a disappointing fourth loss to the Raptors this season — the Raptors have just had the Hawks’ number this season. In the four game series, the Raptors have won by an average of 16 points, and their point differential across these four games is +67 points — it’s not even been close.

The game itself, however, felt largely inconsequential compared to what’s going on around the Hawks at the moment. The Trae Young era is seemingly headed for an end, and until he’s traded that cloud will hang over the Hawks and any games they play until that outcome is reached.

To what degree, if any, this whole situation — now it’s become a lot more public — impacts their play on the court remains to be seen. For now, the Hawks will just be happy to be finished with the Raptors for this season.

The Hawks (17-21) head back to Atlanta to take on the New Orleans Pelicans (8-29) at State Farm Arena.

Until next time!

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/anal...rie-risacher-trae-young-quotes-video-anaylsis

 

[Zedster]

Tough stretch for the Hawks against Toronto. Four losses to the same team in one season is rough, especially when you consider how competitive some of those games actually were through three quarters.

The Saturday game really stings - being down just one going into the fourth and then only managing 11 points is brutal. Seven turnovers in the first five minutes of that final period basically handed the game away. That's the kind of collapse that's hard to shake off mentally, especially on the second night of a back-to-back.

Jalen Johnson continues to look like a legit All-Star candidate though. Putting up 30/9/7 in that Saturday loss and then following up with 13/14 on Monday shows he can produce even when the team is struggling. His shooting efficiency took a hit in that second game, but the rebounding effort was there.

Dyson Daniels has been interesting to watch. The 20/12 with only one turnover on Saturday was impressive, even if his outside shot still isn't falling consistently. His ability to get into the paint and create for others keeps him valuable offensively despite the shooting woes.

Risacher's response to that foul trouble in Monday's game was encouraging. Five fouls early in the third quarter and he still managed to be aggressive and score all 16 of his points in the second half. That's good mental toughness from a young player.

The elephant in the room is obviously the Trae Young situation now. Hard to know how much that uncertainty is affecting the locker room, but it'll be interesting to see how the team responds against New Orleans.

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Hawks at Raptors: game thread/Trae Young trade discussion

I’m using this game thread as a discussion post for both the game tonight and the breaking news of the day. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks are working on a trade resolution that will see Young moved elsewhere:

The Hawks and Young's agents have maintained positive dialogue on his future ever since the franchise elected not to offer a contract extension last summer ahead of his 2026 player option. Now the sides are working together on a trade out of Atlanta. https://t.co/IWehy7ZIJN

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 5, 2026

The Atlanta Hawks (17-20) also play the Toronto Raptors (22-15) again.

Please join in the comments below as you follow along.

Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen​

Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON, Canada

Start Time: 7:30 PM EDT

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast (FDSNSE)

Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)

Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network app, Fubo (out of market), NBA League Pass (out of market), Youtube TV (NBA League Pass out of market)

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/atla...tart-time-trae-young-trade-rumors-game-thread

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Trae Young deals I’d do — and ones I wouldn’t

We’re all still going through the stages of grief over the Trae Young news, I know. But it’s time to turn the page.

To catch up, Shams Charania of ESPN reported on the latest news that the Hawks and Young’s camp are working together to seek a trade for him:

Young’s reps and Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh have begun positive and collaborative talks over the past week on finding a resolution, sources said.

The Hawks and Young’s agents have maintained dialogue over his future over the past several months — since the franchise elected not to offer a contract extension to the 27-year-old guard.

We also need to come to grips with the fact that this team is no good. Overall, they’re 18th in net rating (-1.4), but since November 25, they’re 22nd (112.9) in offensive rating, 24th in defensive rating (117.8), and 27th in net rating (-4.9). Nasty.

There is still time to turn things around with the 44 games that remain, but I don’t see much of a path after the 82 games are played even if they find a way to squeak into the playoffs via the Play-In Tournament — something they’re not even guaranteed to reach.

The Bulls, Bucks, and even Hornets are all in the mix for ninth and tenth places in the Eastern Conference, a far cry from the projected fourth place finish preseason for the Hawks. This season is, frustratingly, being flushed down the toilet.

That preamble leads into the fact that Trae Young will also be off the roster by the February 5 trade deadline it seems, and a Young-like talent won’t be coming the other direction. The trade will likely make the team farther from competitiveness in the short term, although maybe they could find some nice fit pieces on the fringes of a deal or deals.

The Hawks have to focus on righting the ship in 2026-27 and prepping for a better future over trying to salvage the wreckage that is their 2025-26 season.

So now, what can the Hawks get for Young in return? Well, lower your expectations — it’s not likely to be much.

Right or wrong, Young is seen as a physically declining, easy target on defense whose offensive prowess only just makes up for the effect on a team’s defense. Additionally, he makes right at $46 million for this season with a roughly $49 million option that teams believe he will pick up this offseason.

The primary motivation for why this situation has escalated so quickly? Atlanta seems to want to get out ahead of that option decision and move him now for a cleaner cap sheet this offseason.

So, what destinations make the most sense for him? Well, frankly, anyone who will take him.

Thus far, the Washington Wizards have shown the most interest based on reports from Jake L. Fischer and Marc Stein from the Stein Line substack blog. This from Monday:

The Washington Wizards have emerged as a legitimate trade destination for Atlanta’s Trae Young, The Stein Line has learned.

The teams, according to league sources, are actively discussing a trade construction centered around CJ McCollum’s expiring contract.

“There have definitely been conversations today,” said one source briefed on the talks.

More salary would have to be added by Washington to make the salary cap math work in a trade for Young — and it remains to be seen whether the Hawks would also have to send the Wizards draft capital to convince them absorb Young’s contract or if Washington would be making a direct play for Young — but the prospect of Atlanta trading its most popular player is only growing as the Feb. 5 trade deadline nears.

Sources tell The Stein Line that Young has been in communication in recent days with Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh and is aware of Atlanta’s ongoing efforts to establish a viable trade market for their four-time NBA All-Star.

The limited market Atlanta has found to this point has only increased the prospect of Young landing in the nation’s capital, with the Hawks apparently eager to move into a new phase for the franchise in the wake of an offseason during which it became apparent that a contract extension for their star guard wasn’t in the team’s plans.

In short, if a deal includes draft compensation (even a draft asset neutral deal) and doesn’t saddle the Hawks with onerous long-term money, it’s an immediate win. So now, let’s go through some of these mock trades that have been floating around the internet — at least the ones worth discussing.

Kevin Pelton in a piece for ESPN suggested this one:

This is a yes for me. McCollum’s deal ends this year AND the Hawks pick up another first this year. Sign me up.

The next one is a bit more mixed:

This one hinges on your opinion of Malik Monk. I don’t see him as a starting caliber point guard, but he’s settled in as a premier sixth man/combo guard type despite playing for the KANGZ. Too me, it’s too much of a longshot upside bet at roughly $20 million per year over the next three seasons — so according to my above rubric, I’ll pass.

I’ll cut to the chase — the final two suggested in the ESPN piece by Zach Kram are automatic NOs due to the bad future salary it adds to the books:

All of Kuzma, Portis, and Harris have 2026-27 salary in guarantees or player options, and all three are declining impact veterans with a chance to saddle the Hawks for next season and beyond — nowhere near the value of the future first. And Jerami Grant’s contract runs for another three years (with the option), creates a lot of on-court redundancy with Jalen Johnson, and therefore will be hard to move on.

Ricky O’Donnell for the mothership SBNation site tosses out some more interesting ideas minus the requisite draft compensation in either direction. Most are reset types of deals with mostly expiring money coming back to Atlanta, something that has my blessing, and as such it’s worth checking out here.

And finally, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic puts forth similarly framed deals. First up:

Yes for this deal to the Wizards (same logic as before).

Yes for this next deal to the Clippers with Collins and Bogdanovic’s deals expiring (also for the sentimental value of reacquiring two fan favorites).

And at this point, I’m holding off on an Anthony Davis trade, so no. For the reasons I outlined here, Davis is seeking a big extension off his current contract — which is already sizeable. But he has struggled with injuries ever since landing in Dallas, and I’m not sure the Hawks can afford to go all in on him.

General manager Onsi Saleh has preached the importance of “optionality” since arriving at his new position this past summer. The Hawks were able to bring in Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in trades with exceptions and other mechanisms in that time.

Remaining flexible is a must for a team that is still stuck in neutral. When they press on the gas pedal too quickly, things go awry.

So, while it’s tough to once again preach patience, even as the franchise cornerstone clearly wants a change in scenario, this is a must in the business of building a contending NBA team.

Get what you can for Trae Young, don’t chase shortcuts, and move forward. I promise that there will be an opportunity to reflect on a bygone era in due time.

---

What do you think? Which deals would you do? Please discuss below.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/atla...ks-nba-mock-anthony-davis-insider-information

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Hawks get back in win column with 117-110 victory over the Pelicans

The Atlanta Hawks were in action on Wednesday evening to face the New Orleans Pelicans. With all the noise going on before the game, getting a win here would be big for the Hawks, and it would be even bigger getting it against the Pelicans, who they have the rights to their 2026 first-round draft pick.

Trae Young was out once again for the Hawks, and at this point, it seems like he may not suit up for the team again as the trade rumors continue to get hotter.

Nonetheless, there was a game that had to played.

It was a fast start for the Hawks, as they got some three-pointers to go, as well as some easy points in the paint.

Hot start for the good guys! pic.twitter.com/gS0w664J2b

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 8, 2026

The Hawks built a double digit lead, and it was thanks to Zaccharie Risacher and his hot shooting.

Zacch is 3-3 from 3 already pic.twitter.com/4czwF4PFrG

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 8, 2026

Kristaps Porzingis came in off the bench and was instant offense for the Hawks.

KP in the corner for pic.twitter.com/HlarWyiRFD

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 8, 2026

The Pelicans were able to cut down their deficit a little, but the Hawks had a few answers of their own. Luke Kennard knocked down a three late in the quarter to extend the lead, and were up 37-26 going into the second.

K3nnard pic.twitter.com/670Es9SnzS

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 8, 2026

Mouhamed Gueye was active on the boards to start the second, and he was rewarded with an and-one.

Mo with the tough board and tougher finish pic.twitter.com/9wc0uHmTIU

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 8, 2026

The Hawks continued to put the pressure on the Pelicans, creating good shots and getting stops on the other end. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was able to finish through contact on this play and get the and-one.

Keil through contact pic.twitter.com/X1tqDxv5gW

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 8, 2026

Down the stretch, it was the Zion Willliamson show for the Pelicans, and he drove down the lane on almost every possession and made the shot. That helped them cut their deficit down to single digits at a point, but the Hawks were able to weather the storm. Johnson and Risacher helped close out the half for the Hawks, and they went into the locker room, leading 65-53.

Gueye started off the quarter with his strong defense, and went coast to coast for this block.

Mo ran 3/4 of the court for this block pic.twitter.com/CYUbczjJNS

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 8, 2026

The Hawks continued to build their lead, and Risacher kept knocking down three-pointers.

Zacch splashes back-to-back threes pic.twitter.com/aDmY5tx94r

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 8, 2026

The ball movement was immaculate in the third, and a few passes led to an open Porzingis jumper.

Nickeil pocket pass to Mo, kickout to KP in the corner, buckets pic.twitter.com/mVUmN08n89

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 8, 2026

Gueye was a part of more big defensive plays, and Alexander-Walker joined in on the fun.

NAW & MO CHASEDOWN BLOCKS WITH AUTHORITY pic.twitter.com/zhPADQu3gz

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 8, 2026

It proved to be a great defensive quarter for the Hawks in general, as they held the Pelicans to only four made field goals and 13 points. Going into the fourth, the Hawks led 89-66.

Kennard started the quarter with a three-pointer.

Luke Kennard: eyehole pic.twitter.com/FAqbkvo0yX

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 8, 2026

(During the second half of the game, Shams Charania broke the news that Young was being traded to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert).

Though the Hawks had built a comfortable lead, they took their foot off the gas just a little late in the quarter, and the Pelicans cut down their deficit.

The Hawks were able to string some scores together to keep them afloat and extend their lead, ultimately giving them the win in the end.

Risacher finished with 25 points, Johnson finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, Alexander-Walker finished wit 17 points, and Gueye finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Hawks will be back in action on Friday against the Denver Nuggets.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/recaps/67703/hawks-get-back-in-117-110-win-against-the-pelicans

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Hawks roll past Pelicans as Atlanta turns page

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Hawks delivered a statement performance Wednesday night at State Farm Arena, rolling past the New Orleans Pelicans 117–100 behind a balanced scoring attack and tenacious defense.

With the victory, Atlanta improved to 18–21 on the season, while handing New Orleans its ninth straight loss as the Pelicans continue to slide in the Western Conference standings.

Atlanta jumped out early behind hot perimeter shooting. Zaccharie Risacher drilled two early three-pointers, helping the Hawks race out to a 12–4 opening run. The Hawks’ second unit soon provided a major spark, as Jalen Johnson attacked the rim relentlessly, drawing fouls and controlling the glass. Atlanta closed the half on a 9–2 run to take a 58–46 halftime lead.

Risacher was the standout, pouring in a season-high 25 points while knocking down multiple momentum-shifting shots from deep to keep the Pelicans’ defense stretched. Johnson also made his presence felt, finishing with 19 points and eight rebounds, showcasing the multifaceted role he continues to grow into this season.

Atlanta’s offense never went quiet — seven Hawks finished in double figures — and the team controlled both the glass and the tempo throughout the night.

New Orleans received solid production from Zion Williamson (22 points, eight rebounds), but the Hawks’ depth proved to be too much. The Pelicans, sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, were never able to mount a sustained rally after Atlanta built a double-digit lead early.

However, the biggest news of the night came off the floor.

The Hawks officially ushered in a new era with the announcement of the Trae Young trade, marking the end of one of the most significant chapters in franchise history. Drafted in 2018 in a blockbuster draft-night deal that brought him to Atlanta from Dallas, Young quickly became the face of the franchise. Over seven seasons, he earned four All-Star selections, led the NBA in assists, and orchestrated one of the most thrilling playoff runs in team history — including a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021.

Atlanta now looks to carry this momentum forward as it begins a new chapter — and fittingly, that era opened with a win.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/anal...licans-new-orleans-final-trade-score-analysis

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Trae Young era over, guard traded to Wizards

After seven and a half seasons in Atlanta, Trae Young has bid farewell to the only city he has known home in his NBA career.

Rumors had been accumulating for a while, but now a deal has finally been consummated between the Hawks and Wizards per Shams Charania of ESPN:

BREAKING: The Atlanta Hawks are trading four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/WIf8rhrRFu

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 8, 2026

Young, a four-time All-Star with the Hawks, was the runner up in Rookie of the Year voting after a massive draft night trade brought him to Atlanta.

He’s most fondly remembered for leading the Hawks past the four-seed New York Knicks and the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in a raucous postseason run to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. With that glory came a maximum extension off his rookie deal to cement himself as the face of the franchise. The next season, he was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2022.

It’s easy to forget just how gaudy his counting stats are. In his NBA career, he has averaged 25.2 points and 9.8 assists per game. His 9.8 assist per game average is currently third in NBA history behind only Magic Johnson and John Stockton.

Young is the Hawks franchise leader in three-pointers (1,295), assists (4,837), and assists per game (9.8) among other major benchmarks.

CJ McCollum is the main piece in return: a veteran scoring guard who can help the team right away. He will be a free agent at the end of the season. Corey Kispert is the one longer term player — a veteran wing who can really shoot. He has two more years left on his mid-sized deal before a team option in 2028-29.

This is clearly an earthshattering moment in the franchise’s history, and much will soon be unpacked about just how we got here. But I speak for all Hawks fans when I say, ‘thanks for the memories, Trae Young.’

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/late...gton-wizards-atlanta-hawks-latest-news-rumors

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

A eulogy for the superstar that Atlanta needed

No one ever thought it would end this way, and yet here we are.

On Wednesday in the middle of home game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Young was salary dumped traded for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. That was it. It’s a sad ending that precipitated quickly — quicker than all of us can reasonably grasp.

But let me try anyway.

---

Trae Young was a lightning rod for discourse before even arriving in the NBA.

At Oklahoma, he was a one-man offense in 2017-18, leading the country in both scoring and assists per game averages. His logo distance bombs and frenetic pace of play produced ESPN-ready highlights on a weekly basis.

When he dropped 30, it was headline news. When he had a shooting slump, it was headline news. No matter what, Young was at the front and center of the college basketball world.

Then on draft night, he captivated NBA audiences as well without even dribbling a ball. The draft trade heard around the world: Luka Doncic and Trae Young traded for each other (and what would become the 10th overall pick in Cam Reddish in the 2019 draft).

It’s beyond fair to admit that the Hawks got the worst of that trade — and yet that moment was the beginning of a new era behind a supremely unique player.

---

For so, so long in Atlanta, all I heard was the Hawks never attract superstars. Despite this great city being a center for music, arts, television, movies, and culture (and the weather ain’t bad neither), rich and famous athletes always preferred other locations to the A.

Joe Johnson?

Great player for sure — but was he a superstar?

Well, he was traded for and given a superstar contract. Then in 2010, he was given an absolutely massive max contract — one even bigger than LeBron freakin’ James who famously headed to South Beach that offseason. He was a quiet assassin who got his 20 and five and had a flare for buzzer beaters.

But the Hawks remained the Hawks, and no one across the country noticed when the team was knocked out in the first or second round. Johnson was unceremoniously run out of town two offseasons after his megadeal.

Al Horford?

Homegrown lunch pail player who everyone loved — but was he a superstar?

At the end of his five-year extension off his initial rookie contract, the Hawks asked themselves that very question. Should we pay this jack-of-all-trade player a full maximum contract? That answer was no, and Boston’s was yes. That was 2016, and Atlanta Hawks fans were left to watch Horford produce from afar in two stints in Boston including during a 2024 title run.

Dwight Howard?

Just kidding. Let’s not revisit that one.

Since Dominique Wilkins was traded in early 1994 (that event is still a gut punch), the Hawks just never quite found a player who could galvanize the fanbase and connect with the city in that way.

Until 2018.

---

Trae Young was (and is) a superstar with a bullet. This is not an on-court impact argument — this is a pop culture, news headlines, and team merchandise argument.

He put the Hawks on the map, even for just a moment in time. His audacious lobs to John Collins (sometimes off the glass!), nutmegs, and dizzying array of live dribble passes were instant viral hits on Youtube, TikTok, Twitter X, wherever the youth get their dopamine hits.

Sure, over the first two and a half seasons of his career, many people argued that it was all flash and no substance. The Hawks went 63-120 (.344) during Lloyd Pierce’s tenure coaching Young and others from the fall 2018 until the spring of 2021.

Did Young’s penchant for flamboyance over results get Lloyd Pierce fired? Is he now a coach killer?

Well, the 27-11 finish and subsequent run to the Eastern Conference Finals under Nate McMillan quieted those critics. Shoot, Trae Young himself quieted the numerous critics in Madison Square Garden on that fateful day in 2021.

Atlanta was relevant. No more of just a passing mention from national outlets.

The Hawks were here.

Sure, team success has been much harder to find since, but Young stacked up four All-Star Game appearances, countless 25-and-nine seasons, an assist crown in 2024-25, and all sorts of other individual accolades.

He launched a shoe line. He launched a podcast. He even ad-libbed on a track with Quavo and 2 Chainz. He was Atlanta culture.

---

We have now arrived at the end of the Trae Young era, and this is my eulogy.

Young was equal parts brash, confident, and ostentatious. He became a villain to many. He rubbed colleagues the wrong way.

But through it all, he was always starry.

When the clock ticked under five second in a close game in the clutch, he never backed down from launching something ridiculous.

The reality is the team since 2021 hasn’t been good enough, and his desire for an extension clearly didn’t line up with the organizations plans anymore. And so Young is now in the District of Columbia, and we must find a way to move on without him.

Even fond mental memories fade, but digital memories are forever. Highlight reels live on. Basketball-Reference stats are etched into industrial servers.

We can always revisit the Trae Young era in whatever fashion we find most comforting. But the Hawks had a true, genuine superstar — someone larger than life even at his physical stature.

And that’s something — and someone — we can find joy in reminiscing about.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/opin...ung-video-nba-latest-news-opinion-perspective

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Pelicans at Hawks: start time, TV, streaming, radio, game thread

Apparently, we still have a game to play today: New Orleans Pelicans (8-30) at the Atlanta Hawks (17-21).

Please join in the comments below as you follow along.

Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen​

Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

Start Time: 7:30 PM EDT

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast (FDSNSE)

Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)

Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network app, Fubo (out of market), NBA League Pass (out of market), Youtube TV (NBA League Pass out of market)

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/atla...wks-start-time-tv-streaming-radio-game-thread

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Hawks silence Denver in statement road rout

In a statement performance on the road, the Atlanta Hawks stormed into Ball Arena. They handed the Denver Nuggets a resounding 110–84 defeat, showcasing elite defense, crisp ball movement, and a balanced scoring attack.

On a cold night in Denver, Atlanta walked into one of the NBA’s most challenging environments and delivered one of its most complete performances of the season. From the opening tip to the final buzzer, the Hawks controlled the tempo and dictated the style of play, rolling to a commanding wire-to-wire victory that highlighted just how dangerous this team can be when everything clicks.

Fast Start Sets the Tone

Atlanta immediately seized control, outscoring Denver 30–21 in the first quarter, led by aggressive defense and quick ball movement. The Hawks attacked early, moved the ball freely, and forced Denver into rushed shots, establishing a physical and emotional edge that would last all night.

In the second quarter, Atlanta extended its lead by winning the frame 28–24, taking a 58–45 advantage into halftime. The Hawks continued to find open shooters, controlled the glass, and limited second-chance opportunities, keeping Denver from gaining any real momentum.

Nuggets Push — Hawks Respond

Denver made its strongest push in the third, but Atlanta never wavered. Even though the Nuggets narrowly led 30–26 in the quarter, the Hawks still entered the fourth with a commanding 84–75 lead, maintaining complete control of the game’s tempo.

Then came the knockout punch.

Fourth-Quarter Domination

Atlanta delivered a defensive masterpiece in the fourth quarter, outscoring Denver 26–9. The Hawks suffocated the Nuggets, forced tough possessions, and turned stops into easy buckets, completely taking the crowd out of the game and slamming the door on any comeback hopes.

Daniels Leads with a Triple-Double

Dyson Daniels put together a spectacular all-around performance with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. He controlled the pace, made smart reads, and impacted every area of the floor, anchoring Atlanta’s offense and defense.

Johnson Powers the Offense

Jalen Johnson led all scorers with 29 points, adding nine rebounds and six assists. He was unstoppable in isolation, deadly from the mid-range, and relentless in attacking the rim, answering every Denver run with timely baskets.

Alexander-Walker Delivers the Dagger

Nickeil Alexander-Walker poured in 22 points, eight rebounds, and three assists, hitting big shots that stretched the lead whenever Denver threatened.

Bench Makes the Difference

Atlanta’s depth was on full display.

Keaton Wallace scored 10 points off the bench, while Luke Kennard contributed eight points, four rebounds, and four assists, and Asa Newell added nine points and four rebounds.

The Hawks’ bench unit didn’t just maintain the lead — it expanded it.

Okongwu’s Two-Way Impact

Onyeka Okongwu finished with 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists, providing inside scoring, playmaking, and rim protection that kept Denver off balance.

Team Efficiency

Atlanta shot 49% from the field, 38% from three, and 50% from the free throw line, moving the ball with purpose and converting efficiently at all three levels.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/anal...-nuggets-analysis-jalen-johnson-dyson-daniels

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

New era Hawks strike gold against Nuggets, 110-87

Atlanta was turning the page tonight a couple of days after trading Trae Young. This was now the Jalen Johnson era against the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.

Both sides had some missing pieces for tonight, but Atlanta still should feel they have the advantage and should be able to pull out a road victory.

With CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert yet to arrive, the Hawks had just nine bodies, but they really couldn’t complain with the Nuggets missing Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Cam Johnson and others.

Both teams were eager to launch threes early and often. Luke Kennard does the good deed here:

Luke letting it fly pic.twitter.com/SfdcCaZZ6d

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 10, 2026

Even without Kristaps Porzingis, the Hawks had a real advantage in the big department. Both Onyeka Okongwu and Mouhamed Gueye decided to play volleyball with shots inside the arc:

Mo & O SWATS pic.twitter.com/kRvFcsNmeu

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 10, 2026

After one quarter, the Hawks led 30-28.

In the second quarter, the Hawks took off behind the steals they were generating on the defensive end. They turned those opportunities into runouts, pushing the lead to 41-33 early in the period.

Throughout it all, the Hawks continued to generate steal after steal, and they managed to pad their lead every time Denver got close.

At halftime, their steal tally stood at 11 — tied for fourth-most for an NBA team this season — and they held a 58-50 advantage. Jalen Johnson was the high scorer for the Hawks with 15.

The second half, the Hawks picked up where they left off, pushing the lead to 11 at one point.

Jalen Johnson showed his grown man strength here:

Get off me pic.twitter.com/UIskLYNScz

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 10, 2026

But the scoring in half court situations dried up for the Hawks, and that stagnation let the Nuggets once again whittle away at the gap. At one point, Aaron Gordon got into it with Dyson Daniels and Mouhamed Gueye after he shoved Gueye.

The Nuggets used that as a momentum boost, and with the Hawks clanking threes left and right, Denver stormed into the lead: 75-74 after three.

In the fourth quarter, however, the Hawks went on a quick 7-0 timeout to force David Adelman into pausing the action to chat with his team.

Keaton Wallace was a part of that flurry:

K3aton hot from the wing like lemon pepper pic.twitter.com/Dam3gSG0Uv

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 10, 2026

Atlanta continued to roll from that point forward, however, establishing bigger and bigger leads. They hopped out to a 29-9 start to the quarter, effectively icing things with around four minutes left to go.

The Hawks wrapped up a satisfying 110-87 win with no stress involved. Atlanta held Denver to their first sub-100-point performance of the season.

Dyson Daniels recorded his first career triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Jalen Johnson added 29 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. As a team, the Hawks recorded 31 assists against just six turnovers while forcing 19 turnovers on the other end.

The Hawks now head to Golden State to take on the Warriors where McCollum and Kispert are expected to join the team. That game will be on Sunday evening.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/reca...johnson-video-stats-final-recap-dyson-daniels

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

CJ McCollum will fill this one gap in the offense

Trae Young is now a Washington Wizard and CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert are now Hawks after the first in-season trade of the 2025-26 NBA season. It’s still weird to think about, I know.

With the hang up over a new extension for Young a key factor in the divorce, the Hawks opted for an expiring contract in McCollum to go along with Kispert who is under contract for two more seasons after this one at an annual value of $13.5 million (with a team option worth slightly over $13 million in 2028-29).

CJ McCollum figures to be the more immediate impact player of the two, with his vast experience in this league and ability to still score in a multitude of ways.

Even in his 13th year as a professional, McCollum is averaging 18.8 points and 3.6 assists on 30.9 minutes per game while shooting 45% from the field and 39% from three (on 10.7 attempts per 100 possessions). For a moribund Wizards offense, Washington scored 113.5 points per 100 possessions when McCollum was on the floor and 107.2 points per 100 possessions when he was off per pbpstats.

But it’s really how he scores his points that intrigues me as it relates to these Hawks. Under Quin Snyder, the Hawks have seen a drop in pick-and-roll and isolation sets and an uptick in dribble handoffs and plays ending in cuts. It’s a fundamentally different offense than his predecessor’s, and that figures to continue in the wake of Young’s departure.

Atlanta’s offensive rating sits at a 114.8 as of Saturday morning, 19th in the NBA, which would be their worst finish since 2019-20. Compare that to when Young was on the floor (for just 10 games and 280 minutes) when they posted a 121.7 offensive rating per pbpstats.

There’s no doubt that even with McCollum and Kispert coming in, the offense just won’t reach the same heights without Young. But there’s still a big opportunity to address what I feel is the biggest weakness of the Snyder era offenses.

When Atlanta’s offense is on this season, they can dice you up with off ball player movement, ball movement, screening and spacing from sideline to sideline. But when it’s off, there is a lot of around-the-horn passing and little to threaten defenses going downhill.

The driving gravity of Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in particular have been huge towards pulling bodies into the paint. That trio all have at least 340 drives on the season with the next closest Hawk is way behind with 142 per NBA’s tracking stats.

But what happens when you can’t get all the way into the paint? What happens when the shot clock is running down and you need to create separation for a shot?

This is the area in which the Hawks really struggle the most to create. Only Johnson and Alexander-Walker have more pull up shot attempts than Young, who is third on the team with 80 attempts despite being 12th in minutes.

As a whole, the team is 28th in pull up attempts per game (17.8), 26th in pull up three-point attempts per game (7.6), and 29th in pull up three-point accuracy (27.9%). Certainly, you’d rather generate open catch-and-shoot three-pointers than rely on less efficient three-pointers off the dribble. But there still needs to be that threat present to give defenses something to think about.

In steps CJ McCollum, professional bucket getter.

He came into this season on a ten-season streak of scoring at least 20 points per game. He’s often referred to as one of the best players to never make an All-Star Game, especially after this season that will see Jamal Murray break through there.

He’s slowing down at this stage of his career and isn’t much of a driving threat anymore, but he can definitely still create off the bounce. McCollum is 14th in three-point pull up attempts and 17th in the NBA in all pull up attempts as of Saturday morning.

Among players in the top 20 of pull up attempts this season, McCollum is third in effective field goal percentages (eFG%) behind just Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray. For reference, some of the names shooting a worse percentage on similar volume include Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Jalen Brunson, Jaylen Brown, Anthony Edwards, Donovan Mitchell, and Kevin Durant.

Clearly, he’s not a player the caliber of those mentioned above, but in this one area — the singular most problematic area of the offense I believe — he can be a major asset to the Hawks going forward. To be sure, McCollum is on an expiring contract and recently turned 34 years of age, but for the short term, he can help diversify the offense and bail the team out when the shot clock nears zero.

You need to look no further than his demolition of the Hawks earlier this season largely behind unconscious pull up shooting.

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In this game, he went 17-for-25 (68%) and 10-for-13 (77%) from three en route to 46 points, his third-highest scoring output of his career.

Contrast that to Friday’s third quarter when the Hawks struggled mightily to get going. In a quarter in which they shot 7-for-22 (32%) overall and 2-for-12 (17%) from three — with one of those two makes a last second heave from Onyeka Okongwu — they could have used a CJ McCollum.

While Vit Krejci is shooting a blistering 47% from three, he’s overburdened in a role where he needs to create shots off the dribble late in the clock. This step back at the top of the key is just too awkward a shot for him:

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And while Alexander-Walker has been a revelation this season, he’s shooting below 40% eFG% on pull up shots — not a surprise given this is his first high volume season ever. He can struggle when shooting in traffic, so giving him a double screen and bringing three bodies into the action wasn’t the right idea:

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This trade return is reminiscent of bringing in Caris LeVert at the trade deadline last season, an archetype of player who could operate as a ‘1’ or a ‘2’ and break cold spells with self-created buckets. Even just having the steady ball handling of a veteran combo guard on the court can relieve some of the playmaking burden from others with just the threat of getting to a certain spot on the floor.

McCollum arrives as the oldest member on the team, and he’s obviously not a direct replacement to replace Trae Young nor is he a long-term building block. But he plugs a huge hole at a position of need, and he can help turn around as this season is starting to slip away.

He’s expected to suit up for the Hawks for his debut later today in the Bay Area. And that first launch off the dribble will be a sight for sore eyes.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/anal...-breakdown-video-advanced-stats-atlanta-hawks