NBA Basketball is officially back. The Hawks played their first preseason game against the Houston Rockets earlier this week, giving us a sneak peek of the team. Despite the loss, the Hawks exceeded my general expectations and here are my takeaways after the first preseason game.

Starting 5

The starting five for the Hawks were: 

• Trae Young (PG)
• Dyson Daniels (SG)
• Zaccharie Risacher (SF)
• Jalen Johnson (PF)
• Kristaps Porzingis (C)

The lineup will be interchangeable, depending on the matchup, to accommodate load management or injuries.

Bench Depth is Real

Behind the starting lineup, the Hawks boast a legitimate rotation, featuring arguably nine starter-level players. Their first subs off the bench were the new signee, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Onyeka Okongwu. Those two may also start in a pinch or depending on the matchup. Other notable subs we saw in the first half were Luke Kennard and Keaton Wallace. Those nine players in the first half will be the primary rotation Quin brings to games. The Hawks will utilize players like Mo Gueye, Vít Krejčí, and Asa Newell in spurts or stopgap minutes to address specific needs within the rotations. 

The Hawks Have Size

With this new roster, the Hawks are visibly taller and more physically imposing. The Hawks have 12 players on their roster who are 6’8″ and up. They are clearly emphasizing surrounding Trae with size, shooting, and defense. The 5-out offense with a Trae and Porzingis pick-n-roll or pick-n-pop will prove to be their deadliest weapon.

The Hawk’s Biggest Weakness

The only evident weakness I see from the preseason game is the lack of a secondary or tertiary half-court ball handler. Quin Snyder tinkered with the lineup in the second quarter, where Trae was out for a big chunk of it. He tried to see if the group could generate a plus offense. Dyson Daniels is primed to become the secondary point when Trae is off the floor. He dabbled in handling the ball last season in spurts, but coming into this season, his offense and passing have improved tremendously. Other notable ball handlers include Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Vít Krejčí, and Keaton Wallace, who will share the bulk of the bench/non-Trae minute ball-handling responsibilities.

We will get to see the Hawks play again later this afternoon at FedEx Forum, against the Memphis Grizzlies at 2 PM EST.