The NBA season is in full swing; here are my main takeaways from the Hawks’ first handful of games.

Weathering Expectations

The Hawks have retooled and fully committed to building around Trae Young after the disappointing result of the Murray-Young tandem for the last two seasons. They have acquired lengthy, athletic wings that can shoot to surround Trae. The team has a clear direction, and an identity is starting to take shape under Snyder’s tutelage. 

This year, the Hawks will be worse record-wise despite having more talent. Ironically, this team has been more fun to watch than previous iterations, mainly due to the defensive identity Daniels and coach Snyder have begun to instill in them. Furthermore, the addition of the first overall pick of the 2024-25 draft, Zaccharie Risacher, and his continued confidence and development are a bright spot and something to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

The Future is Bright

Three players in particular match the ‘lengthy wings who can shoot’ archetype, and those players are the key to whether this Hawks team is a playoff team or simply playoff hopeful. 

Jalen Johnson 

Johnson inked a 5-year, $150M extension before the season started. The Hawks are committed to building around Jalen and Trae as their premier duo. 

Johnson had a slow start to the season but has turned it up now and still has room to improve. He looked indecisive and lacked confidence, whether it was nerves, fear that he would not live up to his contract, or still getting comfortable having increased ballhandling duties. Now, Johnson is starting to look more confident with himself and has more reps as the ballhandler, allowing him to be more decisive on his intent to shoot, drive and kick, or drive to the hoop. Johnson has averaged 20.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 46/41/85 shooting splits in the last five games.

Dyson Daniels

Daniels is the perfect two besides Trae. He was a terrific defender, but watching him excited me to watch the Hawks on defense, which has not happened in the past few seasons. The way Daniels is able to navigate screens and always stays connected to his assignment throughout the whole game is super impressive. He has a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year case if the Hawks finish with a decent record. He leads the league in deflections and steals by a large margin from him and the second player.

He is an excellent defender, but his offensive game is steadily improving. He is a fantastic cutter, has great patience when he drives, and has a knockdown floater. Albeit his 3-point percentage (21.2% on the season) is terrible, he is at least willing to take them and seemingly makes the important ones. 

Zaccharie Risacher

Risacher has come into the league confident and ready. From the first Summer League game, he is unafraid to shoot and play at his own pace. While his shooting splits look horrendous on paper (37/24/62), his shot passes the eye test. Rookies don’t always have the most efficient seasons, and Risacher is probably gassed with the number of minutes and games played in a few days. It will only be a matter of time before Risacher finds his groove, and his recent 33-point outburst is proof of his potential.

On the defensive side, Risacher has been impressive. He uses his length and athleticism effectively, being disruptive in passing lanes or always playing help defense on drives, averaging 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. Once he becomes used to the NBA’s pacing and fills out his frame a bit, the game will become much easier.