Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The free agency hub.
The 2025 Atlanta Hawks free agency hub.
Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images
What third-year player makes the final roster?
With the draft and free agency in the rearview mirror, the Hawks can now focus their attention on claiming the next available piece of hardware: the 2025 Las Vegas Summer League trophy.
Who will be on that roster you might ask? Well, today we have our answer.
The Atlanta Hawks have announced their roster for the summer competition in a release today:
Atlanta Hawks/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26046527/sl.JPG)
2025 LVSL Hawks
Headlining the team will be third-year guard Kobe Bufkin, who has suffered two injury-riddled seasons since being drafted 15th overall in 2023. He can show he’s finally ready for a productive season with a strong summer campaign after only seeing action in 27 regular season games over the past two seasons.
Joining him is Nikola Đurišić (Djurisic), the second-year guard/wing who spent the majority of last season with the College Park Skyhawks after suffering a left foot fracture in last year’s summer league. Asa Newell, this year’s first-round pick, and brother of Jalen Johnson, Kobe Johnson, also make the roster.
The head coach for the summer Hawks will be Bryan Bailey. The four-game schedule was already announced, which you can find linked here. A fifth game will be played upon the conclusion of the four games should the Hawks not make the four-team bracket to determine a champion.
How does one watch the games? Well, per the release:
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
Who should Atlanta target to fill out their remaining roster spots?
The Atlanta Hawks are one of the hottest stories in the NBA in the wake of their moves over the last ten days.
Kristaps Porzingis, when healthy, is one of the most impactful two-way bigs in the NBA. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a pesky perimeter defender* with a reliable three-point shot off the catch (42.1% over the past two seasons), and he will be a clean fit in Atlanta’s top seven.
Luke Kennard is known for his deadly perimeter shooting, but can also shoulder some ball-handling duties too, posting a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio** while spending about half of his minutes at point guard for the Memphis Grizzlies last season. Asa Newell — the 23rd pick in the draft — might be a ways away from making a dent in the rotation, but he projects as a versatile, multi-positional defender down the line.
*Him and Dyson will be a nightmare for opposing ball handlers when they share the floor together
**It’s also good to see that Kennard’s assist:usage ratio (1.20) ranked in the 89th percentile amongst combo guards last season per cleaningtheglass – showing that he efficient with his touches as a playmaker
After four consecutive Play-In Tournament appearances, Hawks fans have a lot to be excited about at the moment, and it’s easy to see why. This team, on paper, has a shot to compete.
That being said, Atlanta’s offseason checklist is not yet complete.
Extension talks for Trae Young and Dyson Daniels loom, however the more pressing matter for the Hawks is that they still have a couple more roster spots left to fill and not a lot of time left to fill them – as the free agent watering hole has all but dried up since the negotiating period opened on June 30th. The Hawks have 12 players rostered currently*, and after the Alexander-Walker and Kennard additions, they find themselves sitting about $7.5 million underneath the tax line – which has been an “electric fence” for Atlanta in terms of roster construction for quite some time.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26046682/HawksCap7.3.png)
To fill out their roster while staying below the tax, the Hawks can sign three players to veteran minimum contracts, or – if there is a player they particularly like – use their $5.1 million bi-annual exception on a premium target, sign one player to a veteran minimum, and leave one spot on their roster open as they are only required to fill 14 out of their 15 available roster spots.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26046683/HawksDepth7.3.png)
In terms of needs, I think the Hawks should definitely be looking to add a wing (specifically, a player that can defend 3s), as well as an adequate third big to soak up minutes if either Porzingis or Okongwu miss time. While I certainly wouldn’t be against the Hawks signing another ball handler, given the money they splashed on Alexander-Walker and Kennard (both of whom primarily play in the backcourt) as well as Kobe Bufkin’s presence on the roster, I’d imagine the front office is prioritizing depth on the wing and in the frontcourt rather than in the backcourt at this point in time.
Without further ado, here are a few free agents whom I would consider signing to fill out Atlanta’s roster.
Caleb Houstan (22) - 6’8”, 205 lbs.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26046685/CalebHoustan.png)
Caleb Houstan is one of the best pure shooters still available on the free agent market, and I’ve been surprised that teams haven’t expressed too much interest in signing the three-year veteran – who is an unrestricted free agent after Orlando declined to pick up his fourth-year option. He was the 32nd overall pick in the 2022 draft and is still just 22 years old, having reclassified up a year prior to his senior year of high school.
Houstan is a 37.2% career three-point shooter and has improved his percentage in each season since entering the league, drilling 40% of his three-point looks on impressive volume (7.6 attempts per 75 possessions) last season. He doesn’t offer much in terms of playmaking or inside the arc scoring, but he would certainly help space the floor for Atlanta’s offense with his 84.6% career three-point attempt rate.
While defense is not exactly his calling card, Houstan has got great size at 6’8” with a 6’11” wingspan, and was part of an Orlando Magic team with a strong defensive culture.
In 2023-24, Orlando posted a 114.7 defensive rating with Houstan on the floor, a mark which ranked in the 60th percentile relative to all players that season per cleaningtheglass. Last season, Orlando posted a defensive rating of 112.0 with him on the floor, a mark which ranked in the 75th percentile relative to all players. Houstan was far from the primary reason for Orlando’s stifling defense during these minutes, but the reason for including these numbers is that they show that when surrounded by other capable defenders, he can be a part of strong defensive units.
I view Houstan as a solid, rotation-level NBA player (with upside!), and he’d be a strong fit on an Atlanta team with enough playmaking to make the most of his offensive skillset.
Javonte Green (32) - 6’5”, 220 lbs.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26046686/Javonte_Green.png)
A six-year veteran who has suited up for four teams over the course of his career, Javonte Green might be a little long in the tooth, turning 32 on July 23rd, but he is a player who gives his all whenever he takes the floor, and would be a great end of the bench addition for a Hawks team in need of wing defenders.
Green is an absolute nuisance on the less glamorous end of the floor, using his 7’ wingspan to make life difficult for whomever he is matched up against – as evidenced by his career steal and block percentages sitting north of the 2% mark. He is a versatile defender capable of guarding 1-4*, but is typically deployed on opposing teams forwards, making him a strong defensive fit in lineups featuring at least two of Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Zaccharie Risacher, and/or Jalen Johnson. Green’s D-EPM** ranked in the 61st percentile last season, and though he played just nine games in 2023-24, his D-EPM ranked in the 87th percentile in 2022-23, and in the 86th percentile in 2021-22.
*Posting an ‘A-’ or better grade in BBall-Index’s defensive versatility metric in three out of the last four seasons
**A one-number metric for defense. More on EPM here.
Green doesn’t offer much on the offensive end as a hit-or-miss, low volume three-point shooter (33.8% from three on three attempts per 36 for his career) who gets most of his buckets on spot-up attempts, cuts and putbacks. Still, he is capable of knocking down an open three, is an adequate rim-finisher and an excellent offensive rebounder for his size.
On both ends of the floor, Green can be counted on to do the little things. I think he’d be a great get for Atlanta on a minimum contract.
Lamar Stevens (28) - 6’7”, 230 lbs.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26046688/Lamar_Stevens.png)
Stevens is another player in the Javonte Green-mold – a no-frills, defense-first wing with a shaky outside shot. He has played for three different teams (Cleveland, Boston, Memphis) since going undrafted back in 2020, and began last season in the G League playing for the Motor City Cruise before the Memphis Grizzlies signed him to their full-time roster in late February.
At 6’7”, 230 pounds, Stevens has the size to guard most forwards and has ranked in the 72nd percentile or better in D-EPM in each of the past three seasons. While he’s rated quite poorly in Bball-Index’s ball screen navigation metric over this span, he’s ranked in the 69th percentile or better in their perimeter isolation defense metric, lending credence to his abilities as a capable wing defender.
While he’s played limited minutes over the past two seasons in Memphis (437 in 2023-24, 155 in 2024-25), his ability to impact the game on the defensive side of the ball has been on full display. In 2023-24, the Grizzlies allowed nine fewer (!) points per 100 possessions with Stevens on the floor, posting a defensive rating of 108.7 per cleaningtheglass – a mark which ranked in the 93rd percentile relative to all players that season. Last season, the Grizzlies allowed 8.4 fewer points per 100 possessions in Stevens’ minutes, posting a defensive rating of 109.3 with him on the floor which ranked in the 91st percentile relative to all players.
Now these are admittedly small sample sizes against less than stellar competition (particularly last season), but the point stands, Stevens is not someone that you can bully on the defensive end of the floor.
Offensively, Stevens is not a perimeter threat, converting just 28.7% of his three-point looks (2.8 attempts per 36) over the course of his career, and falls short in the playmaking and ball-handling departments. Still, if Atlanta is looking for an end of the rotation player that can stifle opposing 3s and 4s in a pinch, Stevens is worth a serious look.
Chris Boucher (32) - 6’10”, 200 lbs.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26046689/Chris_Boucher.png)
Chris Boucher is a player I would seriously consider using the $5.1 million bi-annual exception on if there is competition for his services (as I anticipate there will be). The 32-year-old has spent the last seven seasons in Toronto, and though he might not be the defender that he once was, I’d still trust him to provide Atlanta with solid minutes at either the 4 or the 5 next season.
The biggest appeal for Boucher is that he is one of the few remaining free agents that is capable of playing the ‘5’ while still providing the Hawks with some juice from beyond the arc, as he converted 36.3% of his three-point attempts last season (8.2 attempts per 75 possessions (!)). Through the Porzingis addition, as well as the countless hours put into developing Onyeka Okongwu’s three-point shot over the past few seasons, the Hawks have clearly shown that they value floor-spacing bigs, making Boucher an obvious target.
While Boucher won’t be afraid to let it fly from beyond the arc, he is also really impactful on the offensive glass, with his on/off offensive rebounding impact ranking in the 88th percentile or better in four out of the last six seasons per cleaningtheglass, and is an adequate finisher inside the restricted area.
On the defensive end, Boucher makes his presence felt at the basket. He’s posted a 5.1% block rate for his career, and opponents have shot below league average at the rim in his minutes in five out of the past six seasons per cleaningtheglass. While his defensive impact has waned over the past few seasons, he’s got a lot of NBA experience under his belt, and I think he’d be a great fit alongside Jalen Johnson or Mouhamed Gueye in the Hawks frontcourt.
Given the respective injury histories of Atlanta’s frontcourt players*, Boucher would be a tremendous third big to have on the roster.
*Jalen Johnson has played in 56% of Atlanta’s regular season games over the past two seasons. Kristaps Porzingis has played in just 60% of his regular season games over the past two seasons.
All statistics used are from basketball-reference.com, nba.com/stats, cleaningtheglass.com, dunksandthrees.com and bball-index.com. Salary info is from Spotrac and RealGM.
Photo by Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images
Congrats to Lish!
The Atlanta Dream will have a player playing in the All-Star contest.
Allisha Gray this week was named a starter for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game.
It marks a symbolic moment for the Atlanta Dream, as Gray revives the franchise’s presence on the All-Star stage. It will be her third consecutive appearance, but it will be her first time starting in the game.
Other players that were voted in were Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever) Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings), Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever), Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm), Satou Sabally (Phoenix Mercury), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty) and A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces).
Gray has been one of the leaders of the team as she is averaging 19.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game this season for Atlanta. She has played a vital role in the Dream season as they are currently 11-6 on the season while also currently placing second in the Eastern Conference and fourth in the overall standings.
Gray is starting to make her mark as a regular All-Star. In 2024, she made history by becoming the first WNBA player ever to win both the Skills Challenge and the 3-Point Contest on the same All-Star weekend.
Gray’s elevation to first-time All-Star starter in 2025 is a testament to her consistent excellence and career growth. It reflects her transformation into one of the league’s most dynamic two-way guards.
The game will be played in Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. It should be exciting as it’s the one time fans get to see the best basketball players play at one time.
Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
The Hawks got their main target.
After landing Kristaps Porginzis through trade last week, Atlanta has now landed another major target to upgrade their roster. Two-way guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has reportedly agreed to a contract with the Hawks per Shams Charania of ESPN:
The 26-year-old Alexander-Walker will reportedly come over in a sign-and-trade that has yet to be worked out, but he’s been a major part of two Timberwolves teams that have gone deep into the last two NBA playoffs. He averaged 8.7 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.6 rebounds while shooting 44% from the floor and 39% from three in his last two seasons in Minnesota. But his calling card, alongside his three-point shooting, is his tough and relentless perimeter defense.
Welcome to Atlanta, Nickeil Alexander-Walker!
Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
So long to this duo!
With free agency kicking off tonight at 6 PM EDT, the Hawks were expected to make some moves around the edges and possible push out contributors to last year’s team. Well now, the Hawks have reportedly said goodbye to the starting center for the majority of the last fives seasons.
Shams Charania of ESPN has news on Clint Capela’s future:
Capela was acquired during the 2019-20 season but didn’t play for the Hawks that season still recovering from an injury. But after being named the starter for the 2020-21 season, he and the Hawks took off soaring that season all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. Capela finished sixth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting that season in maybe his finest season of his career that spans Atlanta and Houston.
In five seasons with Atlanta, he averaged 11.8 points and 11.3 rebounds per game, but clearly slowed down towards the end of his tenure here — especially struggling with his finishing around the rim. Now, he heads back to Houston where he started his career in a lucrative pact for a reserve big.
Then, Charania also broke news of a 2024-25 Hawks, albeit one with a shorter tenure:
Caris LeVert came over from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the return for De’Andre Hunter at last season’s trade deadline. In 26 games down the stretch for Atlanta, he averaged 14.9 points and 2.9 assists per game in a sixth man role for the Hawks.
Thanks for everything, Clint and Caris!
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
There’s one clear player with tons of pressure on his shoulder(s).
The full team for the 2025 Las Vegas Summer League Atlanta Hawks was recently released, and with the first game quickly approaching on July 11, a few players have been put on notice to deliver.
A strong performance from players in the competition can boost them going forwards. Some are looking to break into the 2025-26 regular season rotation for the Hawks. Some are merely trying to stick with the College Park Skyhawks by way of an Exhibit 10 training camp contract and therefore guaranteed money to play the 2025-26 season for the Hawks’ G League affiliate.
Either way, it will be interesting to see if the Hawks can vastly improve on their 0-5 showing in 2024 and push for a top four finish in Las Vegas.
Which players have the most to prove? I’ve tiered each of the 15 members according to their immediate aspirations with the club:
Tier 1: It’s now or never
Kobe Bufkin
It’s been a rough ride since Bufkin was drafted 15th overall in 2023.
He encountered trevails manning point for the Hawks in Las Vegas that summer campaign in 2023 with some unsightly shooting and turnover numbers. Then, at the beginning of the regular season, Bufkin fractured his left (shooting hand) thumb.
He did manage to return and have a strong season with the Skyhawks upon returning from that injury, including dropping 43 points in one contest.
Then, after committing to last year’s Summer League team, he injured his right shoulder in a practice before the competition and was ruled out until the fall. That same shoulder ended his 2024-25 regular season after just 10 games played.
Now, with the Hawks pressing on the gas pedal to compete in the East and bringing in Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard as backup guard options, Bufkin now more than ever has to prove he deserves rotation minutes.
It undoubtedly starts with strong performances this month when he’ll again operate with the ball in his hands for point guard reps. If he can’t break down defenses and play-make at a high level as a third-year guard in this competition — as well as stay healthy — the Hawks just may have to find a new home for him heading into the regular season.
This is a crucial crossroads for him. Teams further away from truly competing could afford to wait on his development into a productive rotation player, but the Hawks no long can do the same with their own expectations set rather high.
Tier 2: Aiming for rotation minutes by the end of 2025-26
Asa Newell
Newell’s roster spot isn’t in any jeopardy, of course, with him having signed a rookie four-year draft slot deal with the Hawks already. But his biggest battle as it stands now is with third-year big Mouhamed Gueye for reserve big minutes behind Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu and Kristaps Porzingis.
How much will his motor and physical gifts translate to Summer League? It would go a long way for him to look like a man amongst boys as a high-ranking high school recruit and one-and-done player from a very difficult Southeastern Conference. He’ll surely see a fair bit of run in College Park, but come late in this upcoming season, he could eke out some minutes with the senior squad.
Nikola Djurisic
The young Serbian has had almost as treacherous a journey as Bufkin. This time last year in Las Vegas, Djurisic fractured his left foot in a play during the second Summer League game after being drafted 43rd overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. He had surgery and returned to play with the College Park Skyhawks later in the season without even a two-way contract.
Now, Djurisic is likely playing for some amount of guaranteed money whether here or elsewhere. He had an unsteady rookie season in the G League last year, and so he’ll need to play a more efficient brand of ball to stick with the Hawks this summer and fall.
Tier 3: Seeking a guaranteed deal
Lamont Butler
Similar to Keaton Wallace, who has a qualifying offer for a two-way contract pending, the Hawks have recently targeted defensive-minded guards for the back of their rosters. This (unofficial but reportedly happening soon) signing seems to be no different.
Lamont Butler’s primary role is to be an on-ball defender, so any offensive contributions you get from him is a bonus. But if he can come in and consistently make it tough for opponents in Las Vegas to get downhill, his worth on a two-way will be evident.
Eli Ndiaye
Ndiaye spent this past year teamed up with Hawks of past, Walter ‘Edy’ Tavares, Bruno Fernando, and even the briefly acquired Usman Garuba who was later traded away in the same summer. He’s a young Senegalese and Spanish forward who has spent his last eight years in the youth system and senior team of Real Madrid Baloncesto.
Soon after the draft, the Hawks and Ndiaye agreed on a two-way contract for this season. While he was largely just a reserve/rotational player in Spain, his age, skill, frame, and all-around ability as an undersized forward may turn some heads once we get to see him in the summer showcase.
Jacob Toppin
Toppin, the brother of Pacer Obi, signed a two-year two-way contract with the Hawks towards the end of last season and only played the final game for the Hawks. He’s a rangy 6-foot-9 forward who stretches the floor well, but he has a chance to showcase his all-around game this summer as a relative veteran of the competition.
Tier 4: Seeking a two-way deal
Kobe Johnson
Let’s get this out of the way: if you hadn’t heard, yes, he’s the brother of Jalen Johnson. But Kobe can really play in his own right. He was a priority Exhibit 10 signing for the Hawks soon after the draft, indicating he’ll likely join the Hawks for training camp this fall.
Johnson is a solid athlete like his brother who played at both the University of Southern California (USC) and UCLA. He is more wing-sized (6’6”) than Jalen, and the athleticism never materialized into tons of production during his four-year college career, but he can use this summer league to demonstrate he can shoot off the catch and defend his position at an NBA level.
Adam Flagler
Here we have our first of many local connections. Duluth, GA is home to Flagler, and the now 25-year-old was a three-sport star at Duluth High School. Since going undrafted in 2023, Flagler has spent his professional basketball career split between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Oklahoma City Blue with one of the past two seasons on a two-way contract.
On the court, he’s an explosive 6-foot-3 guard who can score at all three levels — but one still trying to learn how to operate as a steady point guard at the NBA level.
Jack White
The first of two Australians named Jack profiled here, White is a 6-foot-6 swing forward who had the honor of being the number one overall draft pick in the 2023 NBA G League draft. He has had just two cups of coffee with NBA teams (21 games with the Nuggets and Grizzlies combined) and has mixed that professional experience with play in Australia and Germany.
This may be his final shot to catch on with an NBA team at the ripe age of 27, and his strong shooting and rebounding profile may just catch the eye of the Hawks in Las Vegas.
Jack McVeigh
McVeigh similarly has split his time between the NBA, G League, and Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He fits the bill as a stretch-4 who fired up 8.6 attempted threes (hitting 36% of them) per game with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers while on a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets. The defense and rebounding are worries (not to mention he’s pushing 30 years of age), but his modern archetype could find him an NBA role somewhere.
Tier 5: Could be College Park-bound with a strong performance
Dwight Murray Jr.
Murray is familiar with the Hawks’ program under Quin Snyder. He is one of three members of last year’s G League team to find his way onto this roster along with Djurisic and Toppin. The small guard from Austell, GA can fill it up from deep when given the chance — although he’ll need to improve on a rough 39/32/76 shooting splits performance with the Skyhawks last season to have a chance to return for 2025-26.
Jake Stephens
Stephens is a 6-foot-11 center who went undrafted in 2023 after a career across Virginia Military Institute (VMI) and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). In the years since, he’s played for G League teams the Capitol City Go-Go and the Stockton Kings in 2023-24 and for Monbus Obradoiro in Santiago de Compostela, Spain and KK FMP in Belgrade, Serbia in 2024-25.
Although he has some passing chops, he profiles as little more than a big body to grab rebounds and play drop defense near the rim.
Javan Johnson
No, he’s not Jalen Johnson — although the pronunciation of his name does rhyme. After an extensive college career spanning 2017 to 2023, Javan Johnson spent the last two seasons with Golden State’s G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors. The 6-foot-6 forward is an eagle-eyed shooter (39% on 7.4 three-point attempts per game in those two seasons), but can he defend well enough to be a 3-and-D wing at the NBA level?
Deivon Smith
We have another player with extensive Atlanta-area connections, as Smith played high school ball at sports powerhouse Grayson High School in nearby Lawrenceville, GA. He also played a Georgia Tech for two seasons in college between his multiple transfer stints at the Division I level.
The 2025 undrafted rookie Deivon Smith averaged 11.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists across his final two seasons at Utah and St. John’s in New York. He’s a shifty, slightly-build point guard who gets downhill with ease. The outside shot is inconsistent — and his 6-foot-1, 165-pound frame is hardly NBA-ready — but his agility allows him to create advantages almost on command, and that agility gives him capable on-ball deterrence on defense.
Nelly Junior Joseph
A native of Benin City, Nigeria, Nelly Junior Joseph came through the NBA Academy Africa and earned a scholarship to Iona after being discovered. He worked hard on his game and was named to the All-Conference first-team in both the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and the Mountain West Conference (MWC) after transferring to the University of New Mexico.
At 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds, he averaged a double-double his senior year with the Lobos, and he looks to prove himself at the professional level after going undrafted in the most recent draft.
Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
There’s a lot of buzz around these new or returning players.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Atlanta Hawks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The Atlanta Hawks are building something exciting.
We know the Hawks have four-time All-Star Trae Young, and last offseason they were able to bring on both a player who finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting and a player who finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting.
Sensing an opportunity to rise up in the Eastern Conference, Atlanta further added to their core with a number of offseason transactions.
So now we turn to you in the audience. Which of the following players are you most excited to see in a Hawks jersey in 2025-26? Results will be revealed later in the week.
Edit 9:15 AM: In case this wasn’t clear, this poll is intended towards the excitement over new players and players returning from major injury.
David Richard-Imagn Images
With which teams did the Hawks get grouped?
The NBA has drawn teams into groups for next season’s NBA Cup, the now annual in-season tournament where four teams head to Las Vegas in a single elimination competition.
Teams are grouped into pots based on 2024-25 regular season record, and today the NBA has announced the results of the draw based on those pots:
Atlanta will again face the Cleveland Cavaliers in group play. Last season, the Hawks upset them en route to making a semifinal appearance before losing to the eventual champions the Milwaukee Bucks.
Joining them in Group East A are the Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, and Indiana Pacers.
The schedule of games was also announced by the league:
Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Welcome to the roster, Nikola!
After being drafted in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, Nikola Đurišić (Djurisic) suffered an injury and later played with the College Park Skyhawks despite not signing to a standard or even a two-way contract. This season, the Hawks have offered a contract to the Serbian international in what looks to be a win-win for both sides.
Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution had it first:
Based on the reporting of Michael Scotto of Hoopshype, I listed the structure of the deal below:
In effect, the Hawks could part ways with Djurisic next offseason after one minimum salary season, but should he prove himself this season he could earn around $5.95 million before hitting restricted free agency in 2028. This move gives the Hawks 13 standard contract players (one short of the legal regular season minimum save two weeks) and two two-way players signed.
The tall combo guard/wing debuted with the Summer League Hawks yesterday, finishing with eight points, three rebounds and an assist.
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images
A big game from Jordin Canada wasn’t enough.
The Atlanta Dream were defeated by the Indiana Fever 99-82 Friday night as the return of Caitlin Clark was too much for the Dream to overcome. It was her second game back from her injury, and she scored 12 points and nine assists.
Atlanta’s records drop to 12-8, currently placing them second in the Eastern Conference.
Atlanta started fast as they led 23-21 in the first quarter. Jordin Canada opened the scoring for the Dream as she scored the first points for Atlanta with 8:59 left in the quarter. Canada scored 10 points in the quarter while dishing out two assists. She finished the game with 30 points and eight assists.
Rhyne Howard was also back in the lineup for her second game after missing time with an upper body injury. She ended the game with 14 points in 26 minutes. Howard was also recently selected for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game.
The Dream led at halftime with a 45-40. They were aggressive on both ends, led by their Canada/Howard duo, who combined for 32 first half points. Atlanta controlled the pace early with strong ball movement and transition play, while their defense limited Indiana’s open looks from three.
Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell kept the Fever within striking distance, posting 14 points in the first two quarters. However, the Fever struggled with turnovers, giving the Dream key opportunities to build momentum.
Atlanta found success inside the paint in the half, outscoring the Fever near the rim and pulling down key offensive rebounds to extend possessions. The Dream also held a slight edge in fastbreak points, using their speed to capitalize on Indiana’s missed shots.
Atlanta may have won one in the first half, but the Fever won the second half and the game. The Fever outrebounded the Dream 35 to 29 while also outscoring the Dream in the paint 40-34.
Aliyah Boston was a problem for the Dream, finishing with 19 points and six rebounds. Sophie Cunningham also had 10 rebounds and 16 points.
Atlanta will be back in action on Sunday against the New York Liberty. The Dream will have two more games before the All-Star Game.
Photo by Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images
Another tough night for Bufkin, but there were other positive performances on Sunday afternoon.
The Atlanta Hawks’ Summer League journey continued with another victory on Sunday afternoon as they defeated the Phoenix Suns 98-80 — a convincing win in which the Hawks held a comfortable advantage for much of the proceedings. Asa Newell lead the Hawks in scoring with 18 points to go along with 11 rebounds, while Nikola Durisic added an efficient 16 points. For the Suns, Oso Ighadoro led with 18 points, with notable Suns Summer League roster members such as Ryan Dunn and Khaman Maluach sidelined for this contest.
With Summer League, it’s not so much about the final result and what it took to get there that is most noteworthy when discussing these games, it’s typically about how the players individually perform, so we’ll have a chat about some of the individual performances from this spot starting with the more positive performances.
Asa Newell’s improved outing
23rd overall selection and Atlanta draft selection Asa Newell improved upon his Summer League debut on Friday against Miami with a more efficient and productive output against the Suns: 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting and 4-of-5 from behind the arc.
It was in the second half where Newell began to make his mark on this game, scoring 15 of his 18 points in the second half. He found confidence with the three-pointer, draining this open three in the third quarter in the corner:
From the opposite corner this time, Newell is much more closely contested as the ball is kicked out to him on the drive, but has no problem dispatching the three once again:
To finish his strong shooting display from three in the fourth quarter, Newell hits another corner three after a good pass from Bufkin, and a solid screen from Durisic to maintain some space for Newell to hit the shot:
It was also encouraging to see Newell with taking on some of the onus scoring himself inside the arc.
Off of a Suns miss, Bufkin delivers the ball promptly to Newell, who takes the ball inside himself, backs down his man on the block and hits a tough shot off glass to score:
In a halfcourt setting this time, Newell drives inside from the perimeter, fakes the pass to the baseline, and extends to evade the defense and finish at the rim:
Postgame, Hawks Summer League head coach Bryan Bailey talked about the confidence the Hawks have in Newell taking the three-pointer.
“He’s got a good looking stroke, we encourage him to shoot those shots and he doesn’t hesitate,” said Bailey on Newell’s shooting. “Especially when he has different guys on him, he’s in space and he’s capable of making those shots.”
Newell himself discussed the work he’s put into improving his three-point shot.
“I’ve been in the gym a lot working on my feet, my release, my timing,” said Newell of his three-point shooting. “Everything was clicking so I just have confidence in my shot.”
Overall, this was a much improved showing from Newell, who highlighted watching film and less pregame jitters as reasons for his improved outing.
“It was just watching film and talking to myself about the things I need to take to the next game,” said Newell. “It was a bunch of jitters first game, (Friday) was my first game since March Madness. It’s just getting back into the routine.”
Djurisic’s ups and downs
Similar to Newell, Nikola Djurisic enjoyed an efficient night scoring the ball: 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting, 1-of-1 from three, 5-of-5 from the line and was a plus-29 on the game in 27 minutes.
“First game I was bad,” said Djurisic postgame. “I wasn’t feeling myself at all, I was tripping up and down the court. This game, I was feeling it. I just came in better prepared.”
Djurisic hit some tough shots, and the manner in which he got to his spots was encouraging.
Here, Durisic uses the screen and though is a bit slow to get into his shot and allows the defender to come back to him and put up a good contest, but Djurisic drains the three:
On this play, Djurisic gets free under the rim and when the ball is delivered to him he has to work out some space, which he does so by using a nice fake to get the defender off his feet and then finishes at the rim:
Next, a strong, quick burst from Djurisic sheds him of his man and he gets into his mid-range jumper:
Djurisic certainly doesn’t lack confidence, and he demonstrates that here as he receives the ball and pulls up in transition for a long two:
Djurisic even got himself a block, closing out well and covering ground with his contest to block this shot:
While these are encouraging plays from Djurisic, he’s one of those players who has some bad plays creep in, such as this lazy defensive possession where he picks up beyond mid-court and just doesn’t make any effort defensively as the shot is made:
On the drive, Djurisic gets himself into a crowd and turns the ball over:
Overall, it was a good game from Djurisic but I’d always advise caution when it comes to his game because the shooting isn’t always this efficient and when it’s not the bad plays stand out a lot more than they would after a performance like last night
Positive Kobe Johnson plays
Not too much to say here compared to Newell and Djurisic, but I did enjoy some of Kobe Johnson’s work on Sunday, specifically some of the deflections he created, in addition to coming up with two steals.
Here, Johnson anticipates where the pass is likely to be headed and extends to deflect the pass:
Johnson continues to show his activity and anticipation as he extends his length to deflect the pass into the backcourt:
This time, Johnson is able to use his athletic tools to pounce upon a loose pass, comes up with the steal and streaks ahead to dunk in transition:
Again, Johnson anticipates the pass-pass back and comes up with another steal but his leading pass forward results in a turnover:
Johnson finished the game with eight points on 3-of-6 shooting but it was his defense that was a highlight yesterday, clamping down on possessions such as this one:
I’d certainly like to see a little more of Kobe Johnson coming up — playing just 12 minutes on Sunday — to see a little more of his athleticism and defensive instincts on display.
Bufkin’s struggles continue
The most regrettable of takeaways from this game however is the fact that Kobe Bufkin again really struggled, and this game was especially bad in that regard. I’ll preface any criticisms of Bufkin’s shooting performance by saying he was good in a facilitating role last night, dishing out nine assists with just one turnover. From that perspective Bufkin was solid.
From an offensive perspective shooting the ball however, it was incredibly difficult to watch at times, especially in the fourth quarter. Bufkin finished with 10 points on 3-of-17 shooting and 0-of-5 from three. Some of these misses are shots that Bufkin just missed — some open threes, a floater/runner that doesn’t fall but an acceptable shot to take — and other missed shots were just poor decisions to take them in the first play as it appeared desperation crept into Bufkin’s game as he tried to layup his way out of his slump.
It started early on with this ill-advised, off-balance shot where Bufkin drives to his right and gets to the baseline, attempting a shot as he’s falling for which he’s not going to get a foul call:
Bufkin, time and time again, just couldn’t stop himself from driving into the paint and attempting a shot within reach of the shot-blocker, the first of many blocked shots would come on this play as he drives inside into two defenders and is blocked by Khalif Battle:
Next, Bufkin gets the screen up top and drives towards the rim but again takes a shot in close proximity of the defender and his shot is blocked out of bounds:
Bufkin had a good game passing the ball but on possessions like this you’d like to see him maybe swing the ball out to Jacob Toppin instead of attempting a shot in traffic.
In transition, the streaking Bufkin sees another opportunity to try get to the rim but the defense is able to get back, and Bufkin tries to sneak in another shot at the rim but it’s blocked by Moses Wood for one of his five blocks on the game:
Here, Bufkin tries to get a switch on the screen with the clock winding down, and has to take it inside. He swivels to try find an opening and despite the help defender present he again attempts a shot close to the rim which is blocked again by Wood:
This time, Bufkin does get a more separation from the on-ball defender and drives inside but his hesitation keeps Wood close to Bufkin, and Bufkin again attempts an ill-advised shot which Wood swallows up for another block:
Not inside the paint this time, but this attempted three in the corner when Bufkin had plenty of time to set himself up before the corner three was another poor shot to take and fittingly resulted in an airball:
Adages similar to: ‘it can’t get worse, may as well keep shooting,’ or, ‘shoot yourself out of the cold streak,’ I don’t think are applicable here. It can always be worse. So many of those shots, especially in the fourth quarter, were just bad shots waiting to be blocked; they screamed desperation. Shots like these can’t be linked to ‘just coming back from injury’ because they have nothing to do with Bufkin’s injuries: they’re poor decision shots.
This three, while not great to airball a wide open three, I’m inclined to think are more likely be injury-related:
The ones showed above? Not as much, nor plays like this where Bufkin just steps out of bounds after the Hawks had literally possession returned to them when Yuri Collins stepped on the same sideline out of bounds:
Plays like this you could understand from a rookie or a Summer League invite not part of an NBA roster. But Bufkin is heading into his third year in the league; he’s played meaningful minutes and has had meaningful moments in the NBA. He just has to be better than his performance on Sunday.
The Hawks (2-0) are back in action later this afternoon as they take on the Houston Rockets (0-2). With this being a back-to-back, I think it would be safe to assume some players who featured on Sunday may be rested today, allowing for others who haven’t seen as much Summer League time so far to showcase their talents.
Until next time!
Photo by Garret Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
Aiming for 3-0.
The Summer Hawks continue to fight for a top-four finish as they take on the Houston Rockets in a back-to-back for both sides.
Please join in the comments below as you follow along.
Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen
Location: Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas, NV
Start Time: 4:30PM EDT
TV: NBA TV, FanDuel Sports Network Southeast (FDSNSE)
Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM), SiriusXM
Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network app, Fubo
Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images
The Hawks rally from a 16-point deficit to win in overtime.
The Atlanta Hawks moved to 3-0 at Las Vegas Summer League as they prevailed in overtime to take a 111-108 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday afternoon. Kobe Bufkin scored 25 points, with Jack McVeigh adding 21 points off the Atlanta bench. For the Rockets, Adonis Arms scored 24 points and Kennedy Chandler added 22 points.
Normally, I wouldn’t spend a ton of time talking about the game itself as wins/losses aren’t especially important in Summer League compared to the regular season, but the tight game in this spot allows a different kind of spotlight for players to perform under in the clutch with the game on the line, so let’s have a look at who stepped up when there was a game to be won.
Clutch time
The Hawks had trailed by as many as 16 points in the third quarter but signs of life led by Kobe Bufkin brought the lead down as the second half progressed. With 2:03 remaining, the Rockets held a three-point advantage. Both teams would miss opportunities to extend/reduce the lead, but it was the Hawks and Asa Newell who would finally make their move, with Newell hitting a three after claiming an offensive rebound before relocating to the corner, where he’d receive the ball and hit the three:
A few aspects to like from Newell here — when he receives the ball from Bufkin he immediately shifts to the corner to Adam Flagler, highlighting a sense of surrounding. Next, he obviously claims the offensive rebound, and then moves to open an opportunity for himself, before hitting a contested three.
Flagler would make up for his miss by helping create a turnover underneath the Hawks’ basket, and Newell is found ahead in transition, where he steps through nicely and is able to finish over the defense:
The Hawks immediately lose this momentum as Arms makes a three to give the Rockets a 102-101 lead, before a turnover from McVeigh returns the ball to the Rockets. The Hawks foul Arms, sending him to the line where he extends the lead to 104-101 with 16 seconds remaining.
The Hawks need a three and with the shotclock off it’s now or never, and the Hawks earn themselves the chance to tie the game as Nikola Djurisic is fouled on a three-pointer:
Djurisic dispatches all three free throws to tie the game, and he’d be play a pivotal role defensively out of the timeout as he shows off the ball to prevent the pass to Arms — who had got ahead of his man — and then switches back to Chris Ledlum to contest his three, which is missed:
With just two minutes in overtime in Summer League, there was pressure to pull the first punch and — after Newell wins the jump-ball to give the Hawks the first possession — Bufkin gets the Hawks on the board with a tough leaning shot:
Very tough basket from Bufkin here, this was a very difficult shot.
The Rockets would level the score before Newell would edge the Hawks back in front with two free throws, drawing a foul on the attempt inside:
Good tenacity from Newell, but he can probably consider himself fortunate he wasn’t called for a push-off on the screen — a surprise that this didn’t end up accounting for what would have been a 59th foul in the game...
More fouls and more free throws give the Rockets the opportunity to tie the game again, before more free throws give the Hawks the chance to re-take the lead, with Bufkin splitting the pair to give the Hawks a one-point lead. The Rockets themselves would go back to the line but would miss both free throws, and now, with the shot clock off, the game is tipped in the Hawks’ favor. Bufkin would go back to the line after a strange violation where the inbounds pass ended up in the basket to give the Hawks a three-point lead, and the Rockets’ final attempt from Arms is missed, securing victory for the Hawks.
Led by Bufkin with great contributions from Newell and Djurisic in key moments, it was an encouraging clutch/overtime period from the Hawks’ contracted players/rookies.
Hawks Summer League head coach Bryan Bailey praised the resilience of his side in overcoming their deficit.
“We found a way,” said Bailey postgame. “We were down 15 in the third with five minutes or so to go, and we didn’t wilt, we didn’t fold. We found a way to get it done.”
Asa Newell had a quieter game overall on Monday: 14 points on 4-of-9 shooting, 1-of-4 from three, 5-of-8 from the line to go with three rebounds, but he did step up in the fourth quarter to make some plays including that three-pointer.
“It’s great for him,” said Bailey when asked of Newell getting to see late game situations. “In practise we try to throw different end of game situations as much as possible and now we get a real, live setting. He’s asking questions, he’s learning, and he’s getting better at it.”
Bufkin bounces back
After a horror show performance on Sunday, Bufkin had a much better time of shooting the ball on Monday, scoring 25 points on 8-of-15 shooting, 4-of-8 from three, and 5-of-6 from the free throw line.
Up to the third quarter, it had been a so-so game for Bufkin. While he hadn’t suffered the same shooting struggles up to the third quarter, it had been a messy game for Bufkin whose game up to this point had been marked by fouls and turnovers (six). But in the third quarter Bufkin found his shot, scoring 11 points on 4-of-6 from the floor and 3-of-4 from three.
For the most part, the threes that Bufkin took on Sunday were fine shots, open shots that just didn’t fall. In the third quarter these shots began to drop, such as this three where the Hawks move the ball and Bufkin hits the catch-and-shoot three:
Here, Bufkin relocates multiple times to set up a better looking three for himself, and is eventually found for another three:
Off the dribble this time, Bufkin looks for an avenue inside the paint and ends up working himself into an opportunity for a pull-up three which he dispatches:
With those shots outside the arc falling, Bufkin combined this by attempting better shots inside arc. While nine turnovers for three assists isn’t ideal, Bufkin turned his shooting fortunes around in the second half, and made key plays and free throws in the fourth quarter and overtime.
“It felt good, still had too many turnovers but other than that, down the stretch, I felt like I found it (my shot) and we were able to be successful,” said Bufkin. “I’m glad we were able to go on a run, take it to overtime and close it out in overtime.”
Despite a difficult game on Sunday, Bailey praised Bufkin for being able to influence the game with his passing, and praised his defense on Monday.
“He had a poor shooting night yesterday but he did have nine assists, so he found other ways to impact the game,” said Bailey of Bufkin. “Getting up and down, getting our guys going and obviously he made shots when we went on that run but he was also defending.”
A much better outing for Bufkin, who can now rest after heavy usage and three games in four days — encouraging to see his efficiency return to him on the third game in four days, massively helped by much better shot selection.
Another productive showing for Djurisic
Nikola Djurisic enjoyed another solid outing at Summer League, scoring 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting, 5-of-6 from the free throw line, and seven assists.
Again, Djurisic just looked very measured and in control on the court and his offense felt as though just came naturally to him, as it does on this possession where he comes off the screen and pulls up on a dime to get to his mid-range jumper:
Here, Djurisic makes the cut to get behind the defense, receives the ball, and hits a turnaround shot:
Djurisic has this knack for being able to hang on his shots, as he shows again on this possession as he drives inside, hangs inside as he gets to his runner, draws the foul and finishes the play for the ‘and-1’:
Another mature play from Djurisic offensively as he receives the ball close to the rim and the defense. Djurisic hits his defender with the fake and then another turnaround jumper which he hits:
Finally, Djurisic shows some of his rarely shown burst as he explodes off the dribble to get to the rim and finish with an emphatic dunk:
“It feels great to get my hops back a bit,” said Djurisic of the dunk.
Just a smooth 16 points for Djurisic, who is at his best when he lets the game come to him like this and doesn’t force the issue.
“He’s playing confidently, which is a good thing,” said Bailey of Djurisic. “He’s free, he’s playing confidently, and one thing he does is get in the lane. When he gets in the lane, he’s a good passer and he’s shown that the last couple of games.”
A seasoned scorer in Europe prior to coming over, settings like Summer League would come a bit more natural to him — not just in terms of competition but maturity in offense; to know when to get to the rim and when to hit a turnaround jumpshot.
“I’ve been doing that my whole life honestly in the paint finishing,” said Djurisic of getting into the lane. “Back home in Europe I was able to jump over guys, but over here it’s a different story. They’re more athletic than me, bigger, taller, so sometimes I can’t finish over them. Sometimes I will stop and pass, and some days I cannot stop because I’m going too fast, and I’ll have a turnover!”
“It’s the same as my driving,” added Djurisic when asked of his turnaround shot. “As soon as you start playing basketball I did that move; it’s my best shot. When I shoot it and make it, it feels better than when I make a three. Not a lot of coaches like that shot but when it goes in it’s good!”
McVeigh and Johnson impress off bench, Toppin’s injury
Two players who perhaps aren’t part of the Hawks’ longer term future but enjoyed strong performances were Jack McVeigh and Javan Johnson. McVeigh scored 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 from three. McVeigh is a little on the older side, 29 years old, and has experience playing professionally in Australia’s highly competitive NBL, and was a two-way player for the Rockets last season, and his experience/talent level really shows here at Summer League. He’s had some hot shooting stretches, but there’s been a couple of occasions in these games where the Hawks need a bucket late in the clock — or in general — and McVeigh is able to find a shot in his arsenal to get the Hawks on the board.
“We call it a little revenge game against his old team!” said Bailey of McVeigh. “Jack’s been great, he’s always high energy. He comes in every day with a smile on his face and gets the guys going, gets the coaching staff going. We got to come in with more energy, we can’t let him out-energy us! He’s been great.”
Last game I was impressed with Kobe Johnson and while I was hoping to see more today, it was a different Johnson who stepped up and made some impressive plays in the second half: Javan Johnson. Johnson finished with eight points but made an impact with two three-pointers and two blocks on the game, one of which he rotates as the help defender to step up and anticipate the shot in the lane and he blocks the shot:
Johnson then followed this up with this sequence in the fourth, beginning with a runaway dunk after the pitch-ahead before blocking the Rockets’ next possession out of bounds:
Jacob Toppin was also having a strong game in the first half — he had already notched 12 points before sustaining a left hip injury that would sideline him for the remainder of the game. A shame for Toppin, I think he could’ve definitely been another player who scored 20 or more points in this game with how he was playing.
Overall, the Hawks’ both team and individual performances recovered well in the third and fourth quarters and it was encouraging to see their response to the deficit, and their execution in the fourth quarter and overtime, especially from players like Bufkin, Newell, and Djurisic.
The Hawks (3-0) are now off until Thursday when they will take on the Memphis Grizzlies (currently 1-1, playing on Tuesday against Golden State).
Until next time!
Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images
Survey says this key player returning from injury.
These are the results to the Hawks Reacts survey posted earlier this week.
The Hawks will have a new look to the team next season.
In the past few weeks, they’ve added a unicorn from Boston, a two-way grinder from Minnesota, and a sharpshooting guard from Memphis.
But what if the biggest addition actually comes from within?
Last week, I asked what new player or player returning from season-ending injury are the readers of Peachtree Hoops most excited to see on the court next season. And you know what? I personally can’t disagree with the results.
Who else but a breakout player that looked like he was on an All-Star track before suffering a shoulder injury?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26056506/Atlanta_1_071025.png)
Brought to you by FanDuel.
Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
The Hawks could use some more depth in the front court and on the wing (you can find part one here).
The Atlanta Hawks made the acquisitions of Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard ‘officially official’ last week, putting a bow on what’s been a phenomenal start to the off-season for Onsi Saleh and Atlanta’s revamped front office.
Yet, while these moves give the Hawks an intriguing top eight, and have put them in position to make some noise* in an injury-depleted Eastern Conference next season, I still find myself fretting over the last few roster spots the team has yet to fill.
*4th shortest odds to win the Eastern Conference next season according to ESPN Bet
Even after signing 2024 second-round pick, Niko Ðurišić, to a full time deal on Friday, the Hawks have just 13 players signed for next season* and could stand to add a bit more depth in the frontcourt and on the wing.
*Reminder that teams are required to have at least 14 players, and no more than 15 players on their roster by opening night
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26055848/ATL.depth.png)
In the frontcourt, adding an adequate third big behind Okongwu and Porzingis should quite frankly be considered a necessity given Porzingis’ injury history*, Asa Newell’s youth, and the fact that third year big, Mouhamed Gueye, has primarily been deployed at the ‘4’ rather than the ‘5’ in his 606 NBA minutes thus far**.
*Porzingis has appeared in 99 out of a possible 164 regular season games over the past two seasons
**Though I wouldn’t say that Gueye at the ‘5’ minutes are completely out of the question for next season as he did play there a bit in the G-League last season
On the wing, while Zaccharie Risacher and Jalen Johnson are locked in as the starters and I’d be perfectly alright going into the season with Vit Krejci* and Mouhamed Gueye** as the backup ‘3’ and ‘4’*, the Hawks could really use another player in the ‘3&D’ mold off the bench to fill in should any of these players miss time.
*who shot 43.7% from three and posted a 3:1 assist to turnover ratio last season
**who led the team in plus-minus while establishing himself as one of the most impactful defenders in the league last season (albeit in limited minutes). I am especially intrigued by the defensive upside of a Gueye/Porzingis frontcourt.
While both Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are capable of sliding up to the ‘3’, both players’ defensive skill sets are best utilized when pressuring opposing teams’ ball handlers, and neither one spent much time guarding small forwards last season.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26057762/Dyson_Nickeil.BBI.D.png)
Image from Bball-Index
Last week, I highlighted four free agents (all of whom are still available!) that are on my radar for the Hawks in Caleb Houstan, Javonte Green, Lamar Stevens and Chris Boucher. Today, let’s go through a few more players to keep an eye on as the free agency pool dries up.
Robert Covington (34) - 6’9”, 225 pounds
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26055849/RoCo.png)
Surely I’m not the only one confused by the fact that Robert Covington wasn’t able to find a job in the NBA last season, right? Covington had consistently been one of the better role players in the league throughout his 11 seasons in the NBA, yet curiously received little interest as a free agent last summer and was last seen suiting up for Team USA in the Americup Qualifiers in an effort to rehabilitate his value around the league.
A low usage offensive player who has shot 36.2% from three-point range for his career (37.9% since the 2020-21 season), Covington’s defense is what makes him special, as he is someone who simply makes s— happen on this end of the floor. Over the past six seasons, Covington is one of just six players (minimum 450 minutes played) to average at least 1.9 steals and 1.5 blocks per 75 possessions per stathead, underscoring his rampant defensive activity.
*It was his single season deflections record that Dyson Daniels obliterated last season
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26055851/RoCo.stl.blk.png)
Image from Stathead
An off-ball demon, he’s ranked in the 94th percentile or better in BBall-Index’s ‘passing lane defense’ metric in each of the last eight (!) seasons that he’s been in the league. Covington also holds up well in isolation situations*, and can comfortably guard at either of the forward positions.
*Ranking in the 82nd percentile or better in BBall-Index’s perimeter isolation defensive metric in three out of his past four seasons in the league
Covington is hands down the best perimeter defender on this list, and while his outside shooting can be a little streaky, I have him near the top of my list in terms of wing targets for the Atlanta Hawks.
Justin Champagnie (24) - 6’6”, 206 pounds
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26055852/Justin.Champ.png)
Justin Champagnie (not to be confused with his twin brother, Julian, who currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs) is a player that I’m sure will garner a fair amount of interest should the Washington Wizards decide to waive him – a real possibility given that his contract is non-guaranteed for the 2025-26 season and that the Wizards currently have 18 players on their roster*.
*16 of whom have guaranteed deals for next season
After bouncing between the NBA and the G League over the past three seasons, Champagnie emerged as a pleasant surprise for an abhorrent Washington Wizards team in 2024-25, averaging 8.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and a steal in 62 appearances (21.6 minutes per game).
He doesn’t bring much to the table as a playmaker but was quite efficient as a scorer last season, shooting 38.3% from three (on 5.1 attempts per 75 possessions) and 73% at the rim.
On the defensive end, despite his slender frame, Champagnie is capable of guarding 1 through 4 and ranked in the 99th percentile (!) in BBall-Index’s defensive versatility metric in 2024-25. He also did a great job of being disruptive last season, ranking in the 85th percentile amongst all players in steal percentage* (2.3%) and in the 72nd percentile in block percentage* (2.5%). His defensive activity would be a nice fit for an Atlanta defense that ranked sixth in the league in opponent turnover percentage last season.
*per dunksandthrees
Given his age, as well as the fact that the Wizards have put significant time and effort into his development, I’d be surprised if Washington doesn’t find a way to keep him on their roster for next season. However, if they do decide to move on from him in order to make way for some of their other young prospects, he’d be a solid addition as a depth piece in Atlanta.
Alec Burks (34) - 6’5”, 214 pounds
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26055854/Burks.png)
A 14-year veteran with 920 career games (regular season & Playoffs) under his belt, Alec Burks is one of the safer free agents still on the market.
A solid bench scorer who has shot 38.6% from the perimeter over the course of his career (40.1% over the past three seasons), Burks shifted into more of an off-ball role* last season in Miami, posting a career-low usage rate while taking a career-high 76% of his field goal attempts from three-point range (8.9 3PA’s per 75 possessions) with over 95% of his three-point makes being assisted by a teammate. While his ability to score from inside the arc is somewhat hit or miss at this stage of his career, he’s an experienced veteran who would be a clean fit in Atlanta’s offense as a reliable floor spacer.
*His 16.1% usage rate last season was a career low
On defense, while I wouldn’t necessarily call him a perimeter stopper, he’s become a more intelligent defender as his career has progressed, rating in the 71st percentile or better in defensive EPM* in three out of the past five seasons. Burks has the size to hang with most 2’s and 3’s and has also consistently been an above average defensive rebounder for his position.
*A one number metric for defense from dunksandthrees. More on EPM here.
Burks has been an NBA-caliber rotation player for his entire career and would be a nice veteran addition for Atlanta’s bench unit.
Duop Reath (29) - 6’11”, 245 pounds
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26055856/Duop.png)
Another player on a non-guaranteed deal for next season, Reath might not be back in Portland seeing as they’ve spent two first round picks on bigs in the last two drafts (Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen) and still have Robert Williams III on their roster. As one of the few stretch 5’s (potentially) still on the market, the 29 year-old ‘Aussie’ has obvious appeal for a Hawks team that prioritizes shooting at the center position.
Reath began his career overseas, spending time in the Euroleague, NBL and CBA before latching onto the Blazers on a two-way contract in 2023-24. As a 27 year-old rookie, Reath made 20 starts in 68 appearances for Portland, shooting an impressive 35.9% from three on 7.5 attempts per 75 possessions. While he regressed slightly last season, with both his efficiency and playing time taking a hit, Reath still shot 32.1% on 8.1 three-point attempts per 75 possessions, and I’d still be willing to take a chance on him given his willingness to let it fly from beyond the arc.
Reath isn’t very impactful on the defensive side of the ball, rating well below league average in defensive EPM in each of the last two seasons (though opponents did shoot just 64.4% at the rim* in his minutes last season). He also tends to struggle on the defensive glass. Nonetheless, given the crop of free agent centers still on the market, Reath is a player worth taking a closer look at if the Blazers decide to waive him.
*74th percentile amongst all players per cleaningtheglass
Thomas Bryant (28) - 6’10”, 248 pounds
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26055858/Thomas.png)
An eight-year veteran big-man who is capable of spacing the floor, Thomas Bryant began the 2024-25 season with the Miami Heat before being acquired by the Indiana Pacers in a mid-season trade. In 56 regular season appearances for Indiana, Bryant averaged 6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds (playing 15 minutes a night) while shooting 32.1% from downtown.
Though Bryant had his moments in the Playoffs, his playing time waned as the postseason wore on due to his shortcomings on the defensive side of the ball, and it’s unlikely the Pacers bring him back for next season given that they currently have four centers on the roster.
Bryant changed up his offensive shot profile last season, setting a career high in three-point attempt rate with just under 50% of his field-goal attempts coming from beyond the arc (5.5 attempts per 75 possessions). While his efficiency at the rim took a dip in 2024-25, he has shot 76.9% from this area of the floor for his career and is a reliable play finisher on putbacks and as a roll man.
On the defensive end, despite posting solid individual block numbers (3.5% block percentage for his career), lineups anchored by Bryant typically struggle to protect the rim, and he’s graded out as a below average defender in defensive EPM in each of the past four seasons. Still, given his willingness to let it fly from beyond the arc as well as his experience playing in a fast-paced Indiana offense last season, Bryant would be a fine option as a third big.
Richaun Holmes (32) - 6’10”, 235 pounds
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26057769/Richaun.png)
Holmes was officially waived by the Washington Wizards on Monday, and while he’s a few years removed from being viewed as an impactful rotation player*, he’s someone the Hawks should certainly do their due diligence on given the dearth of free agent bigs left on the market.
*Holmes ranked in the 82nd and 89th percentile in EPM playing for Sacramento during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, but has struggled to hold down a consistent role in an NBA rotation since
A strong interior presence on the offensive end, Holmes has shot an excellent 73% at the rim and 49% from floater distance* for his career, and is an above average offensive rebounder at his position. While he doesn’t bring much to the table as a floor spacer, Holmes is a capable play finisher, and has also shot a respectable 75% from the free throw stripe for his career.
*Though he’s shot just 37.4% on these looks over the past two seasons
On defense, Holmes has rated in the 88th percentile or better in Bball-Index’s rim protection metric in each of the past five seasons and helped the Wizards hold their opponents’ to league-average efficiency at the rim in his minutes last season*, per cleaningtheglass. Still, he’s far from perfect on this end, rating as a below average defender in D-EPM in each of the past four seasons, and has struggled with fouls (4.6 fouls committed per 36) and on the defensive glass throughout his career.
*Impressive considering Washington ranked dead last in opponent rim-FG% last season.
As one of the few rotation-caliber bigs remaining in free agency, Holmes should draw a fair amount of interest, and is worthy of consideration for the Atlanta Hawks.
All statistics used in this article are from from basketballreference.com, nba.com/stats, cleaningtheglass.com, dunksandthrees.com and bball-index.com.
Photo by Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images
Big nights from the young Hawks.
Atlanta continued their summer league campaign with an early Sunday game against the Phoenix Suns. The Hawks were without two-way player Eli Ndiaye among a handful of others due to injury. The Suns were missing their first-round pick Khaman Maluach and two more recent draft picks for them.
Jacob Toppin and Nikola Djurisic, two of the most recent signings for the Hawks, were engaged on both ends early on.
Kobe Bufkin set up this Djurisic triple:
After a small deficit early on, the Hawks put together a 10-0 run to take the lead halfway through the first quarter.
With the reserves in at the end of the period, the Hawk were off and running in transition and finished with a separate 13-0 run, giving them a 30-17 edge after the first 10 minutes.
The second half was a bit more competitive, although a lot of that was down to a cold start offensively for the Hawks. After the lull, we saw threes from Toppin and even first-round pick Asa Newell, something that’s not yet his forte but encouraging:
He later went on a strong rebounding streak and he even recorded a monster block.
At halftime, the Hawks led 48-36.
Atlanta came out hot in the second half, with some razzle dazzle between Djurisic and Toppin and some inside buckets from Newell:
They maintained their lead throughout the period, but they bobbled a onetime 22-point lead to let Phoenix back in it. However, strong play late in the quarter from Djurisic and Kobe Johnson helped buffer the slide:
After three quarters, the Hawks led 72-66.
Djurisic continued his strong game into the fourth quarter, routinely finding his teammates with slick passes to set up scores. Kobe Bufkin had a tough night shooting from the floor (3-for-17), but he was able to get inside and finish in the paint a couple of times in the fourth quarter.
There would be no late-game collapse, as the Hawks finished off the Suns by a score of 98-80.
Jacob Toppin had 15 points and eight rebounds. Asa Newell added a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds. Nikola Djurisic also had 16 points and four assists for the good guys.
The win moves the Summer Hawks to a perfect 2-0 in the competition, and they’ll play the Houston Rockets tomorrow (Monday) next.
Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard of the Atlanta Dream smile after the game against the Chicago Sky | Photo by Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images
Two selections and two surprises for the Atlanta Dream at the All-Star break.
Allisha Gray voted as an All-Star starter
The ten WNBA All-Star starters are selected by a combination of fan voting (50% of the criteria), player voting (25%), and media voting (25%). Allisha Gray is having a career year and was the top guard selection by both the media and her peers, despite finishing seventh in the fan vote, leading to her earning a starting position in the All-Star Game. If Gray continues to play at her current pace, she will be a favorite for the All-WNBA team, if not in the conversation for league MVP.
As of July 14th, Gray is…
· first in the WNBA with 755 minutes played,
· fifth in the league in total points scored,
· third in the league in three-pointers made (behind All-Stars Kelsey Plum and teammate Rhyne Howard),
· sixth in the league in three-point percentage (for players with at least 500 minutes played), and
· third in the league in win shares, according to basketball-reference.com (behind All-Stars Napheesa Collier and Aliyah Boston).
Rhyne Howard selected as an All-Star reserve
While All-Star starters are selected by fans, players, and media, the remainder of the rosters are chosen by the WNBA coaches. Although Howard finished 27th among guards in the fan voting, she was one of eight guards named as a reserve by the league’s coaches. Howard, drafted first overall in the 2022 WNBA draft, has shown less consistency than Allisha Gray this season, but has demonstrated a high ceiling in individual games while accumulating impressive statistics that justify her All-Star selection.
Howard is currently
· eighth in the league in minutes played despite battling multiple injuries,
· first in three-pointers made, and
· seventh in total steals.
Howard’s two most impressive offensive games this season occurred in wins against the Seattle Storm, scoring 33 points, and against the Chicago Sky, scoring 36 points with nine three-pointers. Unfortunately, Howard missed Atlanta’s game on Sunday against the New York Liberty with a knee injury sustained in Friday’s loss to the Indiana Fever. Unfortunately, Howard will miss the All-Star festivities with her injury.
Brionna Jones a surprise snub from the All-Star player pool
In his press conference after the release of All-Star voting results, Coach Karl Smesko shared his feelings about Brionna Jones’s status, stating that he “wasn’t even concerned about Bri” because she “was clearly going to be one of the All-Stars.”
Jones was named an All-Star in 2021, 2022, and 2024 with the Connecticut Sun. So far in 2025, she is
· sixth in the league in total rebounds,
· ninth in the league in field-goal percentage, shotting .517,
· sixth in the league in win shares, and
· fifth in the league in offensive rating (behind Aliyah Boston, Allisha Gray, Napheesa Collier, and teammate Naz Hillmon whose contributions throughout the season were described in an excellent piece by Michael Waterloo).
In fact, Jones is performing better than she did in her 2022 and 2024 All-Star seasons in her points per game, minutes per game, rebounding, assists, and three-point scoring. Only Angel Reese has more double-doubles than Jones this season and it will be a shame if WNBA fans do not get to see her in this year’s All-Star Game. If a replacement player is needed for this year’s rosters, Brionna Jones should be atop Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s list.
Brittney Griner not in the All-Star conversation
The surprise surrounding Brittney Griner is not that she failed to make this year’s All-Star Game — the surprise is that the ten-time All-Star has dropped off significantly from her career averages and that her All-Star absence this season is justified. Fans still have a soft spot for Griner, as demonstrated by her making the top-40 list of fan voting at no. 37, ranking between Washington rookie Sonia Citron and Connecticut guard Marina Mabrey.
However, as of July 10th, Griner was averaging the fewest points per game in her career (10, compared to her next lowest of 12.6 in 2013), as well as the fewest field goals made, field goals attempted, free throws made, free throws attempted, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, total rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks per game.
Many of these statistical lows can be attributed to a significant drop in Griner’s minutes per game played. While Griner has averaged 30.0 minutes per game throughout her career, she is averaging 23.5 minutes per game in 2025. However, this 22% drop in playing time alone does not explain Griner’s larger decreases in counting stats.
Griner’s last six games have shown improvement on her season averages, so it is possible that she is regaining her form as she adjusts to playing with a new WNBA team for the first time in her career. The addition of Jones in the offseason signaled that Griner’s minutes and usage might be limited as she shares the frontcourt with another All-Star. Perhaps Coach Smesko and the Dream coaching staff are helping Griner stay healthy and adapt, with playoff aspirations in mind. If Griner is able to lead Atlanta to a playoff series victory, that success could outweigh her absence from this year’s All-Star Game.
All statistics are from wnba.com and basketball-reference.com unless otherwise noted. The WNBA All-Star Game will take place on Saturday, July 19th at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images
A chance to head to the Summer League postseason bracket.
With a big win over the Memphis Grizzlies and some help around the Summer League, your Atlanta Hawks could be headed to a four-team Vegas playoff.
Please join in the comments below as you follow along.
Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen
Location: Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas, NV
Start Time: 6:00PM EDT
TV: NBA TV, FanDuel Sports Network Southeast (FDSNSE)
Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM), SiriusXM
Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network app, Fubo
Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images
One more shooter for the arsenal.
The Hawks are reportedly set to sign a sharpshooting forward who has spent all three years of his NBA career with the division rivals Orlando Magic. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype broke this report:
Houstan is a catch-and-shoot specialist who has good size for the small forward position at 6’8”.
He was drafted in the second round by the Magic back in 2022, and in his three-year career, he has averaged just 4.1 points per game largely based on his career 0.85 three-point attempt rate (the rate of his field goal attempts that are threes). He has converted on 37% of those long range attempts across his career.
Peachtree Hoop’s own Hassan Ladiwala broke down his game further in a piece about deep rotation free agent options earlier this month.
The team has yet to announce the transaction, and the deal will likely just be a veteran minimum deal that may or may not be guaranteed.
