After the additions of Kristaps Porziņģis, Asa Newell, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Luke Kennard the Atlanta Hawks are rightfully so getting plenty of love from local and national media.
After day one of NBA Free Agency ended yesterday FanDuel Sportsbook updated some of their odds for the 2026 NBA season, and the Hawks, who were 33-1 to win the Eastern Conference last week, now have +950 odds to win the conference, giving them the fourth-best odds, and +3100 odds to win the title.
Earlier today The Morning Shift had our very own Hawks insider and reporter Caleb Johnson on the show, and asked him where he thinks Atlanta ranks in the Eastern Conference after their latest offseason acquisitions and he believes the Hawks are “working towards” being a top three team in the East.
“To say top five I think is realistic. I think it’s very much an attainable goal, but if you told me at the end of the regular season next year if we’re heading into the postseason and the Hawks are third in the East like that I think is honestly what this team is kind of working towards…”
“I don’t think they’ll be that quick and that perfect to go from ninth in the East last year and being a play-in team to just winning the East, but I certainly think this roster is talented enough it’s just a matter of can Jalen [Johnson] stay healthy can Kristaps [Porziņģis] stay healthy and can all of these pieces actually work alongside Trae Young and these guys who are great shooters actually continue on their success level with the Atlanta Hawks.” Caleb said
In what will be a weakened Eastern Conference next season if the Hawks stay relatively healthy, if players like Jalen Johnson continue to develop and take the next step, and if Trae Young plays and leads this team the way he’s shown he can in the past there’s no reason Atlanta shouldn’t seriously compete for the Eastern Conference crown and maybe even win it.