Do Trae Young, Hawks Have ‘Real Shot’ To Win East?

Journalist Colin Keane, a Villanova University graduate with a major in English and minor in Business, covers major sports leagues and has written for outlets including NESN, OnSI, and FanSided.

The news content focuses on the potential rise of the Atlanta Hawks in the 2025-26 NBA season, citing their young talent and a weakened Eastern Conference. Key players like Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels are developing strongly, while Trae Young, at 26, provides significant offensive firepower. The team is also noted for having defensive players who can compensate for Young's limitations on that end.

Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes predicts the Hawks could finish with the best record in the East, drawing parallels to recent improvements by teams like the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets. He emphasizes that injuries to key players on the Boston Celtics (Jayson Tatum) and Indiana Pacers (Tyrese Haliburton), along with uncertainties surrounding other top Eastern teams like the Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Milwaukee Bucks, create an opportunity for Atlanta to capitalize.

Hughes highlights the supporting cast around Trae Young, including Jalen Johnson's emerging stardom, Dyson Daniels' defensive prowess (second in DPOY voting), and the additions of Kristaps Porzingis, Onyeka Okongwu, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to bolster both offense and defense. The roster also features Zaccharie Risacher's potential and Luke Kennard's shooting, under the experienced coaching of Quin Snyder, who has previously led balanced conference-winning teams.

The summary concludes that if Kristaps Porzingis remains healthier with the Hawks than he did with the Celtics, the team's potential for success is very high, possibly leading to a top record in the Eastern Conference.