There is only one preseason game left for the Atlanta Hawks and just one more week until their regular season opener on the road against Orlando.
One thing to note about the Hawks during this preseason is that they have not had their entire rotation available for all of their games. In the last game against the Pacers, Atlanta sat nearly their entire top seven players, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker being the only starter who saw the floor for the Hawks.
With that caveat in mind, what has the preseason told us about the Atlanta Hawks rotation?
Starting five should remain the same
While all five starters have not been on the court together this preseason, they were able to form chemistry late in the season and I think they should remain one of the better starting units in the Eastern Conference when the season begins.
Each player had different standout performances as well. Jalen Johnson looked like a star against the Pacers last Saturday; Nickeil Alexander-Walker had first-half scoring bursts of 13 and 17 points against the Grizzlies and Thunder; Onyeka Okongwu scored 18 against the Pacers; and CJ McCollum shot the ball well. There could be some bumps in the road when the season begins, especially against high-level defensive teams such as Orlando and Houston.
Top of the Rotation
I think the following players are going to be at the top of the rotation for the Hawks every night:
G- Aaron Wiggins
G/F- Lu Dort
G- Kingston Flemings
F- Mouhamed Gueye
C- Jock Landale
I came into the preseason knowing that Dort, Wiggins, and Landale were going to be the top three off the bench for the Hawks, but seeing how he has played this preseason and the trust that the coaching staff has in him, I think that Kingston Flemings is going to play a large role off the bench as a rookie. He earned two starts and looked liked he belonged in every game. There will be ups and downs like any rookie, but Hawks fans should be excited by what they saw from Flemings.
When he returns from injury, Gueye should assume the backup power forward duties. Asa Newell has gotten a crack at that spot in the preseason, but a defensive pairing of Newell and Landale is going to be challenging. To make things easier, I think Gueye is going to play in that role on a nightly basis and form a strong defense with Dort, Daniels, and Alexander-Walker.
End of the rotation
F- Corey Kispert
F- Dorian Finney-Smith
F- Zuby Ejiofor
F- Asa Newell
G- Keshon Gilbert (Two-Way)
G- RayJ Dennis (Two-Way)
F- Jalen WIlson (Two-Way)
Any of these players could play on any given night, but I think when the Hawks are healthy, it will be tough.
Kispert got to play a fair amount this preseason, but his defensive struggles and poor shooting make him tough to put on the floor consistently. Finney-Smith is still acclimating to the team, but has not played a large role this preseason.
Newell could start the season in the rotation if Gueye is not ready to return, but he has to make strides defensively to stay on the court.
Ejiofor will be the teams third center and could play power forward as well, but it could be a developmental year for him in College Park barring everyone stays healthy.
Atlanta has a talented trio of two-way contracts and either Dennis or Wilson could find a way on the floor at some point in time.
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