The Hawks Quietly Built a Real Team Around Trae Young — And This Might Be the Season Everything Changes
For the first time this offseason, as the light fades over Atlanta, there’s a genuine buzz around the Hawks. Not a manufactured hype, but a feeling rooted in reality. Trae Young has his back covered—something that hasn’t felt true since that improbable run in 2021. And it’s no longer just talk. This time, the roster matches the whispers.
Let me take you back to that night in June when Atlanta silently reorganized its core. No flashy headlines, no viral video teasers. Just moves made with purpose. First came the Kristaps Porzingis acquisition from Boston in a three‑team deal. Next, the sign‑and‑trade for Nickeil Alexander‑Walker. Then they added Luke Kennard, a premier shooter, on a one‑year, $11 million deal. Sprinkle in draft picks like Zaccharie Risacher and the steady growth of Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu, and suddenly you’ve got a team that feels… built.
Check the numbers if you’re a skeptic. DraftKings slashed their title odds from 120‑1 to 55‑1. Eastern Conference odds moved from longshots to realistic contenders—12‑1, if you can believe it. That’s not desperation-line optimism. That’s respect.
What changed? It’s not just pieces. It’s balance.
Trae Young is still the same wizard at 6’1″, capable of shattering defenses, but yesterday’s Chessmaster had pitiful pawns. Today, he has bishops, knights, and rooks ready to move. Porzingis, if healthy, gives them a 7’3″ rim protector who spaces the floor. Alexander‑Walker, fresh from a 9.4 PPG season shooting 38.1% from deep, injects perimeter defense and scoring. Kennard’s splashability is elite—46% from three over his last three seasons.
Then there’s the youth. Dyson Daniels burst onto the scene as the league’s youngest player to log 200 steals in a season. He led the NBA in deflections and stole the Most Improved Player award—only narrowly missing DPOY. That kind of energy and length on the wing changes everything defensively.
Risacher, the 2024 No. 1 pick, isn’t a project. With his 6’8″ frame, smooth jumper, and confidence, he already impacts without the ball. Jalen Johnson continues to evolve with an All‑Star‑level 17 PPG, 9 RPG season. And Onyeka Okongwu has quietly grown into a force off the bench, with a 20‑20 game proving his readiness.
All that depth and size means Trae isn’t shouldering the stress alone. No more isolation-heavy stops, no more dangling in defensive mismatches. It’s a team built for him, not built around his flaws.
Yes, the East isn’t what it was. Big names like Tatum, Haliburton, and Lillard suffered Achilles tears this offseason. But let’s not diminish what Atlanta did. They didn’t just capitalize—they acted with vision. They outworked teams, not just outspent them.
Hawks fans know the cycle. You build hope, then lose it—rebuild, repeat. But this feels different. There’s chemistry in their moves. They didn’t scramble for regurgitated veterans. They drafted, they developed, and they added fit pieces.
Picture the court: Trae surrounded by towering teammates. Porzingis defending the rim, Alexander‑Walker pestering from the wing, Kennard stretching defenses, and the youngsters swarming like locusts on the perimeter. That’s the kind of squad that can surprise. That can win close games. That can go deep.
This won’t be a smooth ride. Porzingis has to stay healthy. Okay, he’s on an expiring deal—Atlanta gets a pop; if it works, great. If not, they aren’t hamstrung. The rookies and sophomores will be tested. The bench rotations have to gel. But no one’s saying Atlanta is ready to win it all. They’re saying, for the first time in years, they can go toe‑to‑toe in a playoff series. They can win 50‑plus games. They can do damage.
Trae’s legacy gets a reset this season too. Not because he failed, but because he finally has a real team built around him. He can be the orchestrator, the spark, the face—but he’s not the only piece.
And Atlanta deserves this. After being stuck in the Play‑In rotation, after flirting with mediocrity, after the shuffles and the trades… they finally look like a destination, not a transition. They’ve got a blueprint that works. Tall, skilled, deep, and ready.
So yes: Trae Young finally got the team. And maybe this season, they’ll get something bigger—validation, momentum, respect. Watch the Eastern Conference—because the Hawks are soaring, and this time they’re not alone.