Onsi Saleh explains Hawks' summer moves
Atlanta's basketball operations chief says Lu Dort's defense and physicality were targeted additions, and will also push Jalen Johnson's development.
Onsi Saleh, Atlanta Hawks president of basketball operations, has explained the thinking behind the club's summer additions ahead of the 2026/27 season, singling out the signing of Lu Dort as a fix for a specific problem: physicality.
"We saw how important physical battles are in the play-offs, and we needed to add a bit more of that. We're talking about a player who has guarded some of the best players in the NBA and is arguably one of the best, if not the best, one-on-one defenders in the league," Saleh said.
Saleh argued his value will extend beyond his own minutes, pointing to the effect facing him in practice should have on Atlanta's younger players.
"Player development often depends a lot on the calibre of players you bring into the building. When a player like Jalen Johnson goes up against Lu Dort in practice, he gets a lot better," Saleh said.
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