Five on Five: Comparing the Atlanta Hawks and San Antonio Spurs Projected Starting Lineups

Dylan Harper deserves respect - he was selected with the second overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft for a reason. The Rutgers star is a 6'5 playmaker who drives to the rim with ease, finishes well and has a good jumper from inside the arc. Even so, there are going to be some growing pains in his rookie season as he adjusts to the speed of things and it's hard to say he's going to be a better player than Trae Young from the start.

Young is coming off another All-Star season in which he averaged 24.2 PPG, 11.6 APG, and 3.1 RPG, shooting 41% from the field and 34% from three. He led another productive Hawks offense and relied mostly on his passing due to struggling with his efficiency as a scorer. Even so, he's still practically an offense unto himself due to his gravity as a playmaker. Harper could be good, but Young is proven.

Advantage: Atlanta

Shooting Guard: Dyson Daniels vs De'Aaron Fox

Dyson Daniels is, full-stop, one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. He earned that reputation during his time with the Pelicans, but he took a step forward with the Hawks after being acquired in the Dejounte Murray trade. There's a case that he is the best perimeter defender in the NBA, but he needs to show it in the playoffs before he can earn that moniker. Even so, the reigning NBA steals leader had a great two-way season for the Hawks, averaging a career-high 14.1 points on a career-best 54.5 TS%. He's not the most dynamic offensive player, but he does enough to keep himself on the court so that he can exert his defensive advantage on opposing stars. He routinely takes the toughest perimeter assignment and his combination of size, timing and agility is matched by very few players.

Fox is a dynamic scorer who can get downhill - he was averaging 25 points and 6.1 assists on 56.7 TS% before being traded to the Spurs. His numbers declined after that, but the lineup was injury-riddled and much worse than the one they'll field at the start of the 2025-26 season. He got the new contract he was looking for from San Antonio and he'll be looking to make a return to the All-Star game this season. However, I'd give the edge to Daniels. Daniels' elite defense sets him apart from Fox, who might be the fastest player in the NBA, but lacks an elite trait beyond that. Fox also isn't the best shooter, so he doesn't have much of an advantage over Daniels in that facet of his game.

Advantage: Atlanta

Small Forward: Zaccharie Risacher vs Stephon Castle

Over the second half of the season, Risacher thrived in his role by blossoming into a good catch-and-shoot three-point shooter who had some nice moments on defense due to his foot speed. His shooting numbers really improved (46% from the field and 36% from three) over the course of the season. He doesn't have a ton of refinement yet to his game, but there were flashes of a developing handle and he had a great summer appearance in the EuroBasket tournament.

Castle's going to be at a size disadvantage if the Spurs do end up fielding a three-guard lineup, but he's still a very talented defender who showed some signs of being a great finisher in his rookie season. The reigning ROTY averaged 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists on 43 percent shooting from the field. His ball-handling is more advanced than Risacher's, but Risacher is bigger and has a better shot at the moment. For now, I'd give a very slight edge to Risacher due to his positional size and the value of wings in today's NBA. Castle might take a massive leap in his second season, but Risacher looked like an impact player during the second half of the season.

Advantage: Atlanta

Power Forward: Jalen Johnson vs Harrison Barnes

All signs are poised for Johnson to take a big leap in 2025. He is a phenomenal talent who can handle the ball, rebound at an elite level and even create some of his own offense. He was averaging 18.9 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 5.0 APG while shooting 50% from the field and 31% from three last season before going down with a season-ending shoulder injury. He's consistently struggled to stay healthy, but there's no doubt he's one of the best young forwards in the NBA.

Barnes is on the opposite side of the age spectrum, but the 33-year old power forward had a great season for the Spurs last year. He shot a career-best 43.3% from deep on 4.3 attempts per game and played in every game of the NBA season. He's a solid defender and while he can get exposed in certain matchups, he's an adequate starting forward. Still, Johnson has to get the nod due to the all-around impact he can provide.

Advantage: Atlanta

Center: Kristaps Porzingis/Onyeka Okongwu vs Victor Wembanyama

A healthy version of Porzingis is a player that few teams have an answer for. He's coming off a season where he averaged 19.5 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 41.2% from deep on high volume. He's also a complimentary playmaker, averaging around two assists a game in the past two seasons. Okongwu isn't quite in that tier, but he's still a solid perimeter defender who can protect the rim at an adequate level and has some utility as a play finisher with Trae Young and Johnson.

However, they are not in the same stratosphere as Wembanyama. The second-tallest player in the NBA averaged 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.7 assists and a whopping 3.8 blocks in his sophomore campaign. He's the DPOY favorite while also being a credible shooter from outside, connecting on 35.2% of his threes and taking 8.8 attempts per game. His season was cut short last year due to a blood clot in his shoulder, but the budding superstar should make an All-NBA team this year if he stays healthy. He's one of the ten to twelve best players in the NBA and the most important player for the Spurs this season.

Advantage: San Antonio

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