Analyst Details How The Atlanta Hawks Can Become This Year's Indiana Pacers

After getting the series to seven games, it looked like the Pacers were going to play the Thunder in an all-time classic game, but Indiana superstar Tyrese Haliburton went down with an Achilles injury and never returned. It was a terrible way to end a great run for such a fun, young team that was set to be the favorite in the Eastern Conference the following year. Haliburton is likely out for the season, and Indiana will likely take a big drop in the standings this season.

Whenever surprise runs like these occur, there is always the question of, which team can replicate it? With the Eastern Conference brought down by injuries, it could be any number of teams.

But how about the Atlanta Hawks?

The Atlanta Hawks are not usually the team that gets praise for their offseason prowess and decision making, but you would be hard-pressed to find someone who follows the NBA who does not like what the Hawks have done this offseason.

Things got started with the big three-team trade that landed the Hawks Kristaps Porzingis, and they continued into the actual free agent period. Atlanta signed arguably the top free agent on the market when they inked former Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker to a four-year $62 million deal, and then free agent sharpshooter Luke Kennard signed a one-year 11$ million deal. Their most recent moves have been signing last year's second round pick Nikola Djurisic to a standard contract and reportedly signing former Magic forward Caleb Houstan to a one year deal, though the team has not confirmed that signing as of yet.

Atlanta has built a strong foundation and team around their already solid core of Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, and Zaccharie Risacher. These new additions could be what the Hawks need to take them into the playoffs and potentially make a run.

NBA.com's Steve Aschburner recently wrote about why the Hawks might be able to take the leap that the Pacers did in 2025:

"They already offered glimpses of excitement last season. Backcourt mate Dyson Daniels broke out as the Kia Most Improved Player and finished second in Kia Defensive Player of the Year voting, a long-armed steals and deflections machine. Forward Zaccharie Risacher finished second in Kia Rookie of the Year balloting as coach Quin Snyder nurtured the lanky French youngster through a starting role.

Jalen Johnson was averaging 18.9 points and 10 rebounds per game when his season ended in January with a torn labrum in his left shoulder. The 23-year-old was lost for good early in what became an eight-game skid, dropping the Hawks below .500 to stay. Meanwhile, 6-foot-8 center Onyeka Okongwu is undersized but shot better and averaged 15 ppg and 10.1 rpg in the 40 games he started (vs. 11.5 ppg and 7.6 rpg off the bench).

Atlanta’s front office got high marks this offseason, plugging holes and deepening the bench with Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard. All three bring games that could thrive alongside Young.

The Hawks closed last season with a 13-9 bump, securing a SoFi Play-In Tournament spot before being eliminated with losses to the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat. A highlight of their season came in November when they went 3-1 in group play of the Emirates NBA Cup to earn a trip to Las Vegas.

Indiana, one year earlier, had tasted success by getting to the final four of that tournament. The Pacers reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2023-24 by beating Milwaukee and New York. But their real push came in 2025, hope still alive against OKC until Haliburton suffered his Achilles tendon tear early in Game 7 of the Finals.

With Haliburton and Boston’s Jayson Tatum (also Achilles) sidelined this season, the Hawks believe they can snag a top-four seed. Indiana improved by just three victories, but that was enough to work out of the No. 4 seed this spring. The Pacers recast themselves defensively, year over year, and the Hawks (No. 18 in defensive rating) have plenty of room for improvement there."

Atlanta has a lot to prove on the court this season to show they are deserving of this preseason praise, and health might be the Hawks' biggest obstacle.

Kristaps Porzingis and Jalen Johnson are two of the most talented players in the entire NBA, but they have a hard time staying on the court. Johnson missed most of the second half of the season with a shoulder injury, his second straight season where he struggled with injuries, and Porzingis has had injury trouble since he got in the league. If Atlanta can manage to get 60 game seasons from those two players, a top three-seed is not out of the question.

If Quin Snyder can maximize this roster, it has the potential to be a sneaky NBA Finals threat in the East. They have to prove it though and that has not been something this franchise has always excelled at.

More Atlanta Hawks News: