The Atlanta Hawks had one of the busiest and best offseasons in the NBA. They brought in Kristaps Porziņģis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Luke Kennard through trades and free agency this summer. Hawks fans got their first chance to hear Head Coach Quin Snyder’s thoughts on the new-look squad and what they can expect from this group. Here are some of the key takeaways from his press conference.
Hawks Can Play Many Different Frontcourt Combinations
Snyder rarely gives concrete answers to the media. As a result, he did not give any hints into the team’s starting center. However, when asked about whether he thinks any two of Porziņģis, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu can share the court, he gave a blunt answer.
“I do … It’s about maximizing the roster, and to do that, there has to be growth from those individual players. Those combinations may look different, but absolutely,” Snyder said confidently.
Snyder could not play Okongwu and Clint Capela together in the past seasons due to spacing issues. Capela solely took twos, and Okongwu’s 3-point shot, while improved, did not command a lot of attention. However, Okongwu shot 35.1% from beyond the arc over the final four months of last season. The Hawks can pair him with Porziņģis, who posted a career-high 41.2% mark from deep last campaign, to match any double-big lineup opponents throw at them. Porziņģis’ rim protection, combined with Okongwu’s ability to switch pick-and-rolls and defend in space, will deter opponents from easy looks inside the arc. Atlanta can now play both big men together to get a defensive boost without completely sacrificing offensive flow.
Porziņģis’ 3-point shot also allows Johnson to operate with more space in the halfcourt- an area of his game he is still developing. Johnson averaged career highs of 18.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists last season. He steps into an even better offensive situation to attack the rim this campaign when the 7-foot-3-inch Porziņģis stretches the defense.
Maximizing a Fast Playstyle
Photo: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Atlanta finished third in pace last season, and Snyder, along with several players, emphasized its importance for 2025-26. The head coach particularly pointed out how Dyson Daniels and Alexander-Walker can help the Hawks play fast.
“Part of maximizing Nickeil and Dyson, being able to make plays, take a 1-on-1 matchup, is us having an opportunity to make a team pay at the other end,” said Snyder.
He pointed out the team needs to improve on their transition scoring from last season, as “errant passes or poor spacing” prevented them from easy looks on the break. Johnson’s return provides a huge boost for the Hawks in this department.
Hawks Are Still Young
While Atlanta added three veterans in Porziņģis, Alexander-Walker, and Kennard, it still has a young roster. In fact, Snyder began his opening statement with a surprising fact.
“We were talking about being young a lot last year. We’re the third-youngest team in the league … and to me that really speaks to the same opportunity we have with our new players … We can be patient and still be urgent,” Snyder said.
Porziņģis is the only 30-year-old player on the roster. Trae Young just entered his prime at 27, but the rest of the Hawks’ core- Okongwu, Daniels, Johnson, and Zaccharie Risacher– are all under 25 years of age. Despite that, many expect this group to be a lock for the playoffs in an open Eastern Conference. The Hawks added Alexander-Walker and Porziņģis, two players who have championship and deep playoff experience, to teach the younger guys what it takes to go far in this league.
Porziņģis and Snyder commented that the team cannot skip any steps when it comes to contending for a championship.
“Let’s talk about 50-win experience. That’s more relevant. You have to get to that point … To win a championship, you have to knock on the door consistently and get the right breaks,” Snyder began.
The 2014-15 Hawks (60-22) were the last squad to reach 50 victories, but all three big offseason additions reached this threshold in their careers. Porziņģis emphasized the importance of “high expectations internally” but with a step-by-step approach.
“It’s going to take a little bit of time to gel, for these guys to get to know my game … same for me with these guys … as the year goes on, we’re only going to look better and better. That is my expectation,” said the Latvian center.
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