Why the Hawks might be this season's most fascinating team

Only one team can win the championship each year, but an NBA season is chock-full of storylines worth monitoring across the league's 30 clubs. And when the new season tips off, there's no team you should be keeping a closer eye on than the Atlanta Hawks.

The right mix

First and foremost, Atlanta figures to be one of the league's most improved teams.

The Hawks have quietly been building a better defensive infrastructure around star guard Trae Young for the last year or so, and they continued making moves with that strategy in mind this summer. Kristaps Porzingis gives Atlanta a premier rim-protector to pair with youngsters Onyeka Okongwu and Zaccharie Risacher, and Porzingis' shooting ability allows him to share the frontcourt with fellow defensive-minded bigs. With only a year remaining on his contract, the injury-prone Porzingis brings plenty of upside with little risk.

Meanwhile, the acquisition of Nickeil Alexander-Walker - and his four-year, $60.6-million contract - should age well. A two-way guard who can play on or off the ball, defend, and shoot, Alexander-Walker is a perfect fit for a Young-led squad. He can help protect Young defensively and space the floor for him offensively when they share the court, but he can also keep the Hawks' offense flowing when Young rests.

The Hawks also signed sharpshooter Luke Kennard to a one-year deal, giving Young another weapon. Kennard's led the league in 3-point percentage twice. He shot 43.3% from deep last season and 41% or better from deep in six of his eight seasons, and he's never been worse than 39.4% from long range. Sure, he's a defensive liability, but the Hawks have enough problem-solvers on that end now.

One of those problem-solvers is Dyson Daniels. The reigning Most Improved Player and Defensive Player of the Year runner-up has transformative defensive skills thanks to his active hands and impeccable timing. Last season, Daniels became the first player in 31 years to average three steals per game, while his 5.9 deflections per game were 1.7 higher than any other player in NBA.com's 10-year database of hustle stats. That's how the Australian received the league's best nickname: the Great Barrier Thief.

Young is a tremendous offensive talent, but the warts in his game mean his teams will always require bespoke construction to become contenders. As a small, defensively inept, ball-dominant guard, Young needs a ton of size, defenders, and shooters around him. He'll have more of that mix this season than he's ever enjoyed before.

In a wide-open, injury-depleted Eastern Conference, the Hawks should threaten for a top-three or -four seed. A Finals berth would not be shocking.

The budding star

Can Jalen Johnson stay healthy? The answer to that question will likely determine the Hawks' fate this season and beyond.

The 23-year-old forward has the makings of a do-it-all star. He's got great size (6-foot-8, 219 pounds) and he's a monster on the glass. He can put the ball on the floor and push the pace off of defensive rebounds, he can defend, and his playmaking is greatly improved. Even if Johnson's inconsistent 3-point shot never stabilizes, he still has perennial All-Star upside on what could be a steal of a contract for Atlanta.

Johnson averaged 17.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.2 steals plus blocks on 58% true shooting over the last two years. The catch? He missed 72 games during that time due to a variety of shoulder, ankle, and wrist injuries, among other ailments.

If Johnson is fully recovered from the torn left labrum that sidelined him last January and can stay on the court, the Hawks have a second star.

The prized asset

While they look to march their way up the East standings, the Hawks will be keeping an eye on things in New Orleans, where the Pelicans placed a massive bet on a bad team in an unforgiving conference.

A year after the Pels took Dejounte Murray's contract off the Hawks' hands and sent Daniels plus two first-round draft picks to Atlanta in the process, New Orleans was at it again this summer. For reasons that only vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars may ever understand, the Pelicans traded the most favorable 2026 first-rounder between their own pick and the Bucks' - unprotected - to Atlanta in exchange for the 2025 pick that allowed New Orleans to acquire Maryland big man Derik Queen.

Keep in mind the Pelicans are coming off a 21-61 campaign, franchise player Zion Williamson has missed 55% of games over his six-year career, and New Orleans is projected to finish in the bottom five overall this season.

The Hawks could be staring at both a deep run in the 2026 playoffs and a high pick in the highly touted 2026 draft. If things break wrong for the Pelicans (as they usually do) and then break right for the Hawks on lottery night, Atlanta might need to erect a statue of Dumars.

Trae's future in limbo

As promising as things seem for Atlanta, Young's uncertain future looms over everything. A player option worth roughly $49 million is the only thing keeping him from 2026 free agency. Insider Marc Stein recently reported that the Hawks want to see more of Young and Johnson on the court together before making any big-picture decisions about their future. That makes sense, but every day that goes by without a Young extension - or trade - brings the Hawks a day closer to potentially losing their franchise player for nothing next summer.

That's what makes this season so fascinating in Atlanta, and what will keep rival teams' focused on the Hawks' fortunes. If their new-look squad complements Young as intended and Johnson stays healthy, the Hawks could be on the verge of perennial contention with Trae at the center of it all for years to come. But if they stumble out of the gate, or Johnson's in and out of the lineup, or Young's just unwilling to commit, the four-time All-Star could headline trade season instead, shifting the NBA's balance of power in the process.

Atlanta is positioned well to pivot if necessary - Johnson, Daniels, Risacher, and that unprotected Pelicans/Bucks pick are among the many assets it can rebuild with. Although it's a make-or-break year for Young, that's not necessarily the case for the Hawks as a whole.

Joseph Casciaro is theScore's lead NBA reporter.