[1] The Hawks had the fifth overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft, and selected Shelden Williams out of Duke University.
During the offseason, the team signed free agent Speedy Claxton and re-signed former Hawks center Lorenzen Wright.
However, the lack of talent on the court continued to weigh down the Hawks as they entered the New Year with a 9–20 record, including an 8-game losing streak.
However, after the All-Star break, Johnson would miss the remainder of the season due to calf injuries after 57 games.
At midseason, the team re-signed free agent, and former Hawks guard Anthony Johnson, who would play in his third stint with the Hawks, who finished last place in the Southeast Division with a 30–52 record, missing the playoffs for the eighth straight season.