(Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
The 2025-26 NBA season is here! We’re rolling out our previews — examining the biggest questions, best- and worst-case scenarios, and win projections for all 30 franchises — from the still-rebuilding teams to the true title contenders.
Record: 40-42 (eliminated in play-in tournament)
Additions: Kristaps Porziņģis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, Asa Newell
Subtractions: Clint Capela, Larry Nance Jr., Georges Niang, Terance Mann
(Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
Trae Young is a four-time All-Star. He has averaged as many as 29.6 points and 11.6 assists per game. He has led his team as far as an Eastern Conference finals. And he is 27 years old — squarely in his prime.
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If ever there were a season for Young to take a step forward in his career — to move past the criticisms of his contributions as a winning player, especially on the defensive end — it would be this one. And if ever there were a team built to accentuate his game and mask his deficiencies, it would be this one.
The Hawks added one-time All-Star center Kristaps Porziņģis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (among last year’s Sixth Man of the Year candidates) to a roster that already boasted a talented rim protector and a cache of versatile wings.
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Porziņģis will join Onyeka Okongwu in the frontcourt. Who will start is anyone’s guess, but given Porziņģis’ performance at EuroBasket over the summer, the guess here is that he will get the nod. Either way, Atlanta can field 48 minutes of quality rim protection behind Young, while Porziņģis also adds a layer of versatility on the offensive end. Young has never had a pick-and-pop option quite like Porziņģis.
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Nor has Young had this many versatile two-way wings to assist him on defense. In addition to Alexander-Walker, Atlanta features rising star Jalen Johnson, Most Improved Player Dyson Daniels and 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher. Luke Kennard and Asa Newell also joined the fray this season.
The Hawks are deep and talented and built to support a ball-dominant superstar on his quest for a championship. The big question, then: Can Young be the best player on a serious title contender?
We have our doubts, recognizing that doubts are what drive Young. He should also be driven by criticisms of his value as a teammate — levied by former NBA player Patrick Beverley over the summer. Young does have a tendency to make a game about himself, but he has also never had this much help.
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Do not forget about the matter of Young’s contract, either. He owns a $49 million player option for the 2026-27 season. He is eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension, which has not yet been offered. Is there a figure that satisfies both parties? It feels weird to go into a season in which the team has title aspirations (however long its shot might be) while the roster’s best player is on a lame-duck contract.
[Get more Hawks news: Atlanta team feed]
Do the Hawks believe in Young as a driver of winning? That they must answer this season. And early. Because other teams will be asking themselves the same question, as they consider trading for Young.
There are no good options if Young cannot lead this team into contention. What do the Hawks do, then? They can trade him, though they would have to find a team willing to give up real assets and pay Young. They could let him walk for nothing, freeing up cap space, though they have had no luck in big-name free agency. Or they could sign him to a fair extension, perpetuating a team with a sub-championship ceiling.
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It is so much better if Young is just awesome and embraces the brand of basketball that can coalesce a roster. Everything flows from there, because the Hawks would have their man, their team and real hope.
Young is everything the Hawks imagined him to be, getting off the ball a little more on offense and digging deep on defense, and his effort on both ends sets a tone: The Hawks are here to compete. Johnson is an absolute star, maybe even an All-Star. They get a healthy season from Porziņģis. Risacher takes a step forward. Daniels is a menace. Everyone else is rock solid, and Atlanta has a real shot at winning the East. That’s right. They could win this Eastern Conference. Whether or not they can beat whoever emerges from the West is another matter, but who cares, for Atlanta hasn’t seen a Finals … ever.
Young is nothing the Hawks imagined him to be, prioritizing his own success over the team’s. His business as usual on both ends stagnates the development of the young wings at his side — Johnson, Daniels and Risacher — and no amount of rim protection can guard against Young’s carelessness on defense. Bad vibes permeate the locker room, and a trade is necessary, only Atlanta cannot find much more than nickels on the dollar. The Hawks take another step back in order to move forward behind a young core, which is not the worst of options, except that they’ll need another point guard. And who is that guy? This is the catch-22: The Hawks may be damned to never win if they do keep Young and damned if they don’t.
Season opener: Oct. 22 vs. Toronto
Trae Young is good. His supporting cast could be great. And what’s the fun of rooting against a could-be contender? Take the over and hope Young is great, too. And he better be, because the team is built for it.
East: Atlanta Hawks • Boston Celtics • Brooklyn Nets • Charlotte Hornets • Chicago Bulls • Cleveland Cavaliers • Detroit Pistons • Indiana Pacers • Miami Heat • Milwaukee Bucks • New York Knicks • Orlando Magic • Philadelphia 76ers • Toronto Raptors • Washington Wizards
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West: Dallas Mavericks • Denver Nuggets • Golden State Warriors • Houston Rockets • Los Angeles Clippers • Los Angeles Lakers • Memphis Grizzlies • Minnesota Timberwolves • New Orleans Pelicans • Oklahoma City Thunder • Phoenix Suns • Portland Trail Blazers • Sacramento Kings • San Antonio Spurs • Utah Jazz
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