Even Trae Young’s critics have changed their mind on the Atlanta Hawks, with the Hawks being ranked a tier-one title contender in The Athletic’s latest power rankings.
The Atlanta Hawks are in a position nobody could have predicted a year ago, or even three months ago, as the team was ranked as the fifth best team in the league in The Athletic’s preseason power rankings. This fifth place ranking qualified for the tier of “top contenders” for the 2026 Finals.