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2026 Atlanta Hawks Predictions with Best Bets and Odds to Win NBA Championship

by Spencer Toth - 9/16/2026

Atlanta Hawks predictions Dyson Daniels

After four straight seasons in the play-in tournament, the Hawks finally finished with a top-six seed in 2025-26 with a 46-36 record. However, they were unable to follow that up with a deep playoff run, as they were bounced by the New York Knicks in the first round. Losing in the first round is never fun, but the Hawks did take two games off New York, who went on to win the NBA championship with a 12-1 record in their other three series.

Looking ahead to the new season, Atlanta is right back in contention with a series of crafty offseason moves. They were very active with their midseason trades last year, and will be hoping they have now found the right balance to make a run in a very deep Eastern Conference. Can the Hawks become a legitimate contender, or will it be right back to the play-in tournament for Atlanta?

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2026 Atlanta Hawks Offseason Recap

The Atlanta Hawks were very active with their midseason trades, but were still not satisfied with their roster heading into the offseason. They opened things up with a big three-team trade that landed them Luguentz Dort and Ryan Nembhard for Zaccharie Risacher. Risacher was drafted first overall by the Hawks in 2024, but has yet to pan out as they expected. He was starting to fall out of the rotation last year, and the Hawks made the choice to cut ties with him and prioritize other talent. Nembhard is a raw talent after an up-and-down rookie year with the Mavericks, while Dort will slot right into the rotation. Dort has spent the last seven years in Oklahoma City and was a crucial part of their recent championship runs. Dort has been through a rebuild, seen the Thunder rise to contention, and win a championship, and will bring experience both on and off the court to this team. His unique release has been criticized in the past, but it is hard to argue with the results as he has shot 34%, 41%, and 40% from deep in the last three seasons. Dort is also an excellent defender who will elevate the Hawks’ defense, representing a clear upgrade over Risacher before we even take the addition of Nembhard into account. 

Dort wasn’t the only former Thunder player joining the roster, as Aaron Wiggins was acquired for two second round picks. Wiggins has been a consistent role player for Oklahoma City, making an impact on both ends of the court. He will be coming off the bench for Atlanta too, but the depth and championship experience he provides will be a valuable asset. 

Jonathan Kuminga was a big loss for the Hawks as he left for Minnesota in free agency, but he only played 16 games for Atlanta after being acquired at the deadline and dealing with lingering injuries. In the draft, the Hawks took Kingston Flemings with the eighth overall pick and Zuby Ejiofor late in the first round. Ejiofor will be a good depth piece, but the more prized asset is Flemings, who could be the first guard off the bench for Atlanta. Flemings has the speed and agility to make it as an NBA star, but his slender frame makes him more of a work in progress at 19 years old. He does all the little things right with strong playmaking and tenacious defense, but doesn't have the playstyle current NBA stars have with low three-point volume. 

2026 Atlanta Hawks Season Expectations

By some metrics, the Atlanta Hawks were the second best team in the league last year as the only franchise to take multiple games off the New York Knicks. While that stat is fun to think about, the reality is that the Hawks are still a bit behind the expected Eastern Conference leaders. There is no dispute that the Hawks have one of the deepest rotations in the league with names such as Dort, Wiggins, Kispert, and Landale coming off the bench, but they lack a true superstar to lead the franchise. 

Nickiel Alexander-Walker revitalized his career last year with 20.8 PPG en route to winning the Most Improved Player, Dyson Daniels led the league in steals per game with 2.0, while Jalen Johnson got his first career All-Star nod thanks to a well rounded game. This ‘Big Three’ is strong, but without a recognized top-twenty player in the league, it is difficult to expect a deep playoff run. 

If the Hawks are going to take the next step towards competing for an NBA championship, it will be thanks to the continued improvement from Jalen Johnson. Johnson posted a career high 22.5 PPG last year on 49% from the floor and 35% from behind the arc. His ability to score from all three levels makes him a tough man to guard, and he also isn’t afraid to pass the rock with 7.9 assists last season. He does his best work in transition, as his ability to make the right choices on the fast break results in a bucket for his team more often than not. 

The Hawks are a well-rounded team that finished in the top half on offense and defense last year, and will look to develop their talents within and build continuity. Adding Dort, Nembhard, and drafting Flemings makes them a better team than with Risacher and Kuminga, and they cannot afford to make several midseason trades to turn their roster over again. They started to find chemistry in the tail end of last season by going 20-6 after the All-Star break, and will look to build on that momentum this year. Atlanta will feel confident that a play-in tournament spot is their floor, and it remains to be seen if they can win their first playoff series since 2021 this season. 

2026 Atlanta Hawks Schedule Breakdown

Atlanta opens up the season with a pair of road games against the Magic and Hornets, two teams who were right beside them in the standings last year. They avoid any long road trips early in the season with their first stretch of four straight road games not coming until the end of January, and will get to spend the holiday period at home with only one road game in San Antonio between December 19th and January 2nd. Their longest road trip comes in March, a crucial time of the year, when they play six straight away from home on the West Coast. 

In the NBA Cup, the Hawks got a tough draw against the Celtics, Hornets, Bulls, and Wizards. Boston is a perennial contender while the Hornets and Wizards are both expected to make playoff pushes this year. 

2026 Atlanta Hawks Odds

The Hawks have finished with between 36 and 46 wins in six straight seasons, and the oddsmakers have them in that range again with a 43.5 win total. They are expected to make the playoffs with -150 odds to do so, but are still seen as a longshot to make a deep playoff run with the ninth-best odds to win the East at +2200. Their championship odds are even longer at +6000, the 16th-shortest, but they have a much better chance in the NBA Cup. They are just behind the Celtics with +275 odds to win the group, and have +2800 odds to lift the NBA Cup, the 11th-shortest in the league. 

2026 Atlanta Hawks Season Predictions and Best Bets

The Atlanta Hawks are expected to be a competent team in the regular season before fizzling out in the playoffs, and I agree with that assessment. Their depth will allow them to stay competitive through potential injuries, but they lack the top-end talent to really challenge for the title. Unless Jalen Johnson takes another step towards becoming the next Nikola Jokic, it is hard to see the Hawks going on a deep run with a long list of contenders in the conference. 

For the first bet, we will take the +100 odds available on over 43.5 wins for the Hawks. Atlanta surpassed this total with a 46-36 record last year after starting the season 26-30, and if the second half is anything to go by, the Hawks may avoid the play-in tournament yet again. This team is one of the best defensive sides in the NBA, but has the shooting support off the bench to avoid long cold spells. Gone are the days of Trae Young putting up 40 points in losses, as the Hawks have a balanced offense with a strong defense capable of beating up on bad teams. Will they be able to compete with the best of the best? Probably not. But this franchise is heading in the right direction and another winning season is expected. 

Best Bet: Atlanta Hawks Over 43.5 Wins +100

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