ATLANTA HAWKS

After eight years of Trae Young as the franchise player in Atlanta, the Hawks appear to be approaching a point of crossroads. Based on recent on-court trends and trade rumors to open 2026, the Trae Young era in Atlanta may be eventually nearing its end. At the same time, Jalen Johnson has quietly emerged as a potential franchise cornerstone, as he has had multiple triple-doubles across the final two months of 2025 in Trae Young's absence, so he may have earned this title given his outstanding play. If that is indeed the case, this is what the Hawks should do at the NBA trade deadline in February 2026 and the 2026 NBA Offseason to jumpstart the potential Jalen Johnson era in Atlanta:

1. At the February 2026 NBA Trade Deadline, trade Trae Young to the Toronto Raptors for Immanuel Quickley, Ochai Agbaji, Gradey Dick, and Toronto's 2026 first-round pick. From Toronto's perspective, they upgrade at point guard after Jakob Poeltl returns. Once Jakob Poeltl recovers as Toronto's defensive anchor in tandem with Scottie Barnes as the team's franchise player and two-way force thanks to his versatile offensive game and perimeter defense along with R.J. Barrett's and Brandon Ingram's scoring prowess on the wing, Trae Young would complete Toronto's starting lineup and give them a massive upgrade in the playmaking department. Toronto will now be in position to make a deep playoff run in the Eastern Conference to compete with the East's top teams this season following this trade for Trae Young, namely the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks. For Atlanta, this trade signals a change in direction as the team now transitions to a new era and supports a retool around Jalen Johnson without entering a multiyear rebuild.

2. Prioritize keeping Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick as key backup wings in Atlanta behind Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in the Hawks' rotation. The significance of these two players will be explained next, but with copious wing depth and enough shooting and defense with Daniels, Risacher, and Alexander-Walker being Atlanta's marquee wings, the Hawks may be closer to contention after this retool than one may think. If the 2026 NBA Draft falls favorably for the Hawks, this surplus of wings could be a boon for them in terms of on-court versatility and future financial flexibility.

3. Develop and groom Onyeka Okongwu as Atlanta's starting center and long-term starting center going forward. As a lottery pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Onyeka Okongwu now needs to take the next step and become the Atlanta's long-term answer at center. Clint Capela and Kristaps Porziņģis are likely temporary solutions at center for the team, given Clint Capela's recent departure for Houston last summer in tandem with the fact that Kristaps Porziņģis is on an expiring contract this upcoming summer. At this stage, there are numerous advantages to put Onyeka Okongwu's development above all.

As they prioritize the development of Ochai Agbaji, Gradey Dick, and Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta should be in good hands. More importantly, since the Hawks control the Pelicans' 2026 first-rounder as the Pelicans are currently 8-28 as of the end of January 2, 2026, this is what the Hawks should do if that pick ends up striking gold in the upcoming lottery, as there is real upside in that pick:

1. Draft Darryn Peterson of Kansas using the top 3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft via New Orleans. Among the top three prospects headlining the 2026 NBA Draft, Darryn Peterson best fits Atlanta's roster construction, schemes, and system match, especially after this particular Trae Young trade. With Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Ochai Agbaji, and Gradey Dick on the wings as well as Jalen Johnson and Asa Newell as power forwards and Onyeka Okongwu finally set to take over as the starting center in Atlanta after six years in the NBA, Darryn Peterson fits Atlanta's roster best. While AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer also merit consideration, AJ Dybantsa may crowd Atlanta's wing rotation whereas Cameron Boozer may overlap too much with Jalen Johnson and Asa Newell in Atlanta. Given this outlook, if Trae Young indeed gets traded and for the value proposed in this trade from Toronto to allow Jalen Johnson's ascent as a franchise forward, Darryn Peterson would fit perfectly with the Hawks as Atlanta's new franchise floor general. Immanuel Quickley, despite his contract, can become Atlanta's star sixth man who can play point guard next Darryn Peterson when he moves to SG, or when Darryn Peterson heads to the bench, alongside either Dyson Daniels or Nickeil Alexander-Walker in Atlanta. Here are five scouting reports covering Darryn Peterson and his two-way skillset, explaining why he fits extremely well with the Hawks, if the Hawks are in position to draft him in the 2026 NBA Draft assuming Atlanta receives a high enough pick from New Orleans following the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery:

• Darryn Peterson - NBADraft.net

• 2026 NBA Draft: Darryn Peterson Scouting Report

• Darryn Peterson - NBA Draft Room

• Darryn Peterson, the Best Guard Prospect Since…

• New Man on Campus: Darryn Peterson

Furthermore, Darryn Peterson would have instant chemistry with two of his new teammates in Atlanta: Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick. All three of these players, who would be arriving in Atlanta as a result of this 2026 plan for the Hawks, attended the University of Kansas. Now, the Kansas Jayhawk trio would be formed in Atlanta. As Darryn Peterson is set to take over as Atlanta's starting point guard of the future with Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick as two wing staples off the Hawks' bench, the chemistry and resonance among these three players in Atlanta would be immediate.

2. Draft Patrick Ngongba II of Duke using Toronto's first-rounder in the 2026 NBA Draft. Toronto's first-rounder in the 2026 NBA Draft is likely to fall in the final ten picks of the first round of the draft as they would plausibly improve with Trae Young being the final jolt of offense they need to go far in the 2026 NBA Playoffs and perform better as a clear top-four seed in the 2025-26 NBA season. The Hawks would need a backup center behind Onyeka Okongwu after the impending departure of Kristaps Porziņģis in the 2026 NBA Offseason. Given this situation in Atlanta, the Hawks need a backup center. Patrick Ngongba provides Atlanta a solution, if he is available with their first-rounder in the 2026 NBA Draft via Toronto. Here is the intel on him and how exactly he would help the Hawks and fit in Atlanta:

• 2026 NBA Draft Prospect Overview: Duke Big Patrick Ngongba II

• 2026 NBA Draft: Patrick Ngongba II Scouting Report

• Patrick Ngongba II is Becoming Complete - The Prospect Overview

• Patrick Ngongba II NBA Draft Room

• Duke Blue Devils big man Patrick Ngongba II Mid-Season Highlights - 2026 NBA Draft

Plus, with two years of college basketball under his belt and playing with seasoned Duke forwards such as Cooper Flagg and Cameron Boozer, Patrick Ngongba II heads to Atlanta to pair up with another former Duke power forward, Jalen Johnson. Similar to Darryn Peterson with Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick in Atlanta, given their Duke roots rather than Kansas, there would be immediate chemistry and resonance between Jalen Johnson and Patrick Ngongba II on the Hawks.

3. Re-sign Ochai Agbaji to a team-friendly two-year contract for additional wing depth and resonance with Darryn Peterson and Gradey Dick as Kansas Jayhawks on the Atlanta Hawks after a successful 2026 NBA Draft.

4. Focus primarily on the development of Onyeka Okongwu as the team's starting center going forward, after moving on from Kristaps Porziņģis in the 2026 NBA offseason. Although the Hawks have a quality backup behind Okongwu in the form of Duke's Patrick Ngongba II, the time has finally arrived for Onyeka Okongwu to take the reins and become the team's starting center, following the back-to-back summer departures of Clint Capela and Kristaps Porziņģis from Atlanta.

5. Keep the team long-term and develop all players. Immanuel Quickley would become the team's sixth man, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker would be an elite seventh man to give Atlanta excellent guard depth in the case of any injuries suffered to Atlanta's new starting backcourt of Darryn Peterson and Dyson Daniels. The Hawks now proceed with a starting backcourt of Darryn Peterson and Dyson Daniels and a starting frontcourt of Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu long-term with former #1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher as the bridge small forward uniting these two duos.

Ultimately, the Hawks would find themselves in a position of long-term success if this plan works. This will then become their starting lineup:

Darryn Peterson - Dyson Daniels - Zaccharie Risacher - Jalen Johnson - Onyeka Okongwu

The Hawks would also have this elite backup five as well:

Immanuel Quickley - Nickeil Alexander-Walker - Gradey Dick - Asa Newell - Patrick Ngongba II

If everything comes to fruition, this plan would be rewarding for the Hawks. The above starting lineup and bench five should slowly but surely spearhead multiple future playoff runs in Atlanta. This scenario would give the Hawks long-term success.

Thoughts?