The 2026-2027 NBA season is finally upon us.

The Atlanta Hawks are not going to be a part of the opening night festivities; they will get their season started on Wednesday night with a road trip to Orlando. The Magic and the Hawks are going to be competing with each other for a spot in the top six of the Eastern Conference, and this has been a contentious rivalry over the past couple of seasons.

The Hawks were one of the best stories in the NBA late in the season, going 20-6 after the All-Star Break, avoiding the play-in tournament for the first time since 2021, and eventually being the only team in the NBA playoffs to defeat the New York Knicks multiple times in a playoff series.

With the young core they have, some thought the Hawks would do what some of the other teams in the Eastern Conference would, which is push their chips in and make a big move to their roster.

Atlanta's front office had other plans, though. They stayed patient, citing player development as their biggest focus, and then re-signed key players from last year's team, drafted three talented rookies, and made trades for Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins to shore up their depth. Will this result in a return trip to the playoffs, or will the Hawks fall behind the others in the conference?

Here is what our staff thinks about the Hawks coming into the year, with a final record prediction to boot.

Jackson Caudell

I think the Hawks did the smart thing this offseason. There was no move out there that was going to take them to the top of the Eastern Conference and they are still set up to make that big move should it arise.

The starting five was one of the NBA's best down the stretch of the season and while some of that might be inflated to playing a number of tanking teams, I don't think it was all fake. Couple that with improved depth from their offseason additions and I think the Hawks are going to be right back in the hunt again this year.

The lack of rim protection and some of the frontcourt depth is worrisome for me, but this team is going to be improved thanks to another All-NBA type of season from Jalen Johnson and one of the top perimeter defenses in the NBA. The Hawks improve on their win total from last season by one and avoid the play-in tournament yet again.

Final Prediction: 47-35, 6th in the Eastern Conference

Kahlil McCuller

My season record prediction for Atlanta is 46-36 as the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference. I think Atlanta is a young team with some valuable experience in a loaded, veteran-led Eastern Conference. While I expect some noteworthy moments, the Hawks have similar roster construction issues as last season. Youth and a lack of size are things that teams will exploit. However, their playoff experience last season should be enough to give them the edge in the Play-In Tournament and help them make the playoffs again.