Atlanta

Hawks

After three seasons at Arizona, playing two, the 6-foot-11 Veesaar made a decision that likely made him a first-round pick. He transferred to North Carolina and was featured more offensively, resulting in a significant increase in production. Veesaar averaged 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.3 three-pointers, shooting 60.8 percent from the field and 61.5 percent from the foul line. Veesaar also shot 42.6 percent from three, taking advantage of his increased offensive freedom. Most mocks had Veesaar going in the first round, so it was a big surprise that he slid this far. The Hawks traded up from pick 57 to add him, and with Jock Landale set to his free agency, Veesaar could see some time as the backup center in Atlanta early on.

After one season at Kansas, Ejiofor spent the next three at St. John’s, breaking out during his junior campaign. The 6-foot-9 pivot was even better as a senior, averaging 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.1 blocks while shooting 53.6 percent from the field and 71.8 percent from the foul line. After being crowned the Big East’s Most Improved Player in 2024-25, Ejiofor won conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2025-26. His length, athleticism and motor are most evident on the defensive end of the floor, which gives Ejiofor a shot at making an immediate impact in the NBA. He’ll likely fill in as a rotational reserve in the frontcourt, which may not give him much of an opportunity to provide much for fantasy managers.

The 6-foot-3, 183-pound Flemings was one of the best players in college basketball, earning consensus All-America honors during his lone season at Houston. In 37 games, he averaged 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 three-pointers, shooting 47.6 percent from the field, 38.7 percent from three and 84.5 percent from the foul line. Boasting the size, athleticism and instincts needed to defend his position, Flemings can also score on all three levels, but there is still room for growth on that end of the floor. He joins a perimeter rotation led by Nickeil Alexander-Walker and CJ McCollum, so Flemings will have some good players to learn from as he begins his NBA journey. Atlanta’s need for additional playmaking on the perimeter gives him a shot at achieving fantasy relevance as a rookie.

Consistently contending for an NBA championship gets expensive, especially in the current era. Oklahoma City holds team options on Isaiah Hartenstein, Luguentz Dort and Kenrich Williams, and the franchise also has to account for the extensions for Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren that will go into effect. Moving the remainder of Wiggins’ five-year, $45 million contract frees up some money, while the Hawks add a versatile forward whose opportunities decreased during the postseason. Wiggins had his moments of fantasy relevance with the Thunder, usually when the team was shorthanded. His fantasy outlook in Atlanta depends partially on what happens with Jonathan Kuminga, who has a team option for next season. To consummate the deal, Oklahoma City received Atlanta’s 2030 second-round pick and the least favorable of Atlanta or the Lakers’ 2032 second-round pick.

McCollum was eligible for a contract extension until June 30, and Sunday’s report means that he won’t hit free agency at the end of the month. Also, the new deal includes a trade kicker. After being acquired from the Wizards as part of the Trae Young trade, the 6-foot-3 guard averaged 18.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.3 three-pointers with the Hawks. And his play was a big reason why the Hawks were able to hand the Knicks two of their three losses on the way to New York’s first NBA title since 1973. As a starter, McCollum can offer solid value to fantasy managers, regardless of league format.

In 267 games with the Hawks in his three and half years as the team’s head coach, Snyder has coached his team to a 132-135 record. Snyder isn’t quite a .500 coach with the team, but Atlanta’s late-season resurgence and playoff appearance after trading Trae Young showed team brass enough to bring Snyder back.

Johnson was Atlanta’s best scorer on Thursday. In 32 minutes, he was the only player on the Hawks to reach the 20-point mark, which he did by using a combination of two-point scoring, three-point efficiency, and free-throw production. He also led the team in rebounds and assists before the final horn sounded. Johnson took a major leap in production this season and averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists over 72 regular-season games, while becoming an NBA All-Star for the first time. Another leap in Year 6 would bring even more fantasy value.

Game 6 was tough for basically every Hawks player who saw meaningful minutes. McCollum, who played 24 minutes, shot inefficiently and also failed to make an impact as a passer. After a fast start to the series, he totaled only 34 points and four assists over the final three games, which were all loses. He’ll enter the offseason as a free agent. Should the veteran return to the Hawks next season, he’ll likely have some fantasy value.

Alexander-Walker struggled on Thursday, as did several Hawks players. He finished with more turnovers than made field goals, and didn’t make a big impact as a facilitator or defender in his 29 minutes. The unspectacular season-ending performance was unfortunate for Alexander-Walker, who made huge strides in his first season in Atlanta. He earned the NBA’s Most Improved Player award and was a reliable contributor in fantasy leagues. His role shouldn’t change much going next season, which means he’ll likely have strong fantasy value.

Okongwu continues to produce stat lines that play well for fantasy managers. Unfortunately, he has struggled to compete down low against Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, which is why the Knicks outrebounded the Hawks 48-27. Okongwu is effective in many ways, but his struggles in the paint against bigger players have been evident in this series. He’ll need to be better in Game 6 for the Hawks to have a chance.