Early years (2009–2011)

Teague was selected with the 19th overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2009 NBA draft. On July 20, 2009, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Hawks.^[12] As a rookie in 2009–10, he averaged 3.2 points, 1.7 assists and 0.9 rebounds in 10.1 minutes (.396 FG%, .837 FT%), playing in 71 games (three starts) and ranking tenth among rookies in assists. He finished the regular season in style, setting then career highs in several categories with a 24-point, 15-assist, five-rebound effort against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 14, hitting 11-of-19 from the field and playing all 48 minutes.^[13] He went on to play sparingly in the team's playoff run, a run that saw the Hawks lose to the Orlando Magic in the Conference semi-finals.^[14]

In 2010–11, the second-year guard averaged 5.2 points, 2.0 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 13.8 minutes (.438 FG%, .375 3FG%, .794 FT%). He scored in double-figures 12 times, including three 20-point efforts. He led the team in assists four times and scoring on three occasions.^[13] On March 12, 2011, he tied his career high of 24 points in a 91–82 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.^[15] During the Hawks' 2011 first-round playoff match-up with the Orlando Magic, Teague played under 10 minutes in just two games, as the Hawks won 4–2. He was moved into the starting spot for the team's second-round match-up with the Chicago Bulls following an injury to starter Kirk Hinrich. Teague started all six games against the Bulls, a series the Hawks lost 4–2. Teague averaged 14.8 points and 4.2 assists in 38.1 minutes in his six playoff starts, well above his regular season averages.^[15]

Breakout seasons (2011–2014)

Teague with the Hawks in January 2012

Teague in 2011–12, started all 66 games, averaging 12.6 points, 4.9 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 33.1 minutes (.476 FG%, .342 3FG%, .757 FT%). He ranked eighth in the NBA in steals (106), 10th in steals per game, 20th in steal-to-turnover ratio (0.79), 22nd in assists (321), 23rd in assists per game, and 40th in FG%.^[13] He had ten 20-point efforts and three double-doubles during the regular season, in addition to four double-digit scoring games during the Hawks' 4–2 first-round playoff loss to the Boston Celtics.^[16]

In 2012–13, Teague recorded career highs of 14.6 points and 7.2 assists, along with 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 32.9 minutes (.451 FG%, .359 3FG%, .881 FT%), appearing in a team-high 80 games (78 starts). He recorded ten 20-point/10-assist games in 2012–13, the third-highest total in a single season in franchise history (Pete Maravich – 12 in 1972–73, and Eddie Johnson – 11 in 1984–85).^[13] On January 16, 2013, he scored a career-high 28 points in a 109–95 win over the Brooklyn Nets.^[17] Teague later participated in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend.^[13] The Hawks were once again knocked out in the first round of the playoffs, losing 4–2 to the Indiana Pacers.^[18]

On July 10, 2013, Teague was extended a four-year, $32 million offer sheet by the Milwaukee Bucks; however, three days later, the Hawks matched the offer.^[19] On December 26, 2013, he scored a career-high 34 points in a 127–125 double overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.^[20] On March 18, 2014, he tied that mark with 34 points in a 118–113 overtime win over the Toronto Raptors.^[21] On April 14, he was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, April 7, through Sunday, April 13. He earned his first Player of the Week honor after averaging 20.3 points, 5.8 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 33.8 minutes per game (.509 FG%, .917 FT%) in four games, in a week that the Hawks went 3–1.^[22] The Hawks finished the 2013–14 season as the eighth seed in the East, eventually losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Indiana Pacers in seven games. Teague scored in double-figures in all seven games, including three 20-point nights, and had one double-double. He scored a playoff career-high 29 points on May 1, and notched his first career postseason double-double with 22 points and playoff career-high 10 assists on April 24.^[13]

First All-Star selection and final Atlanta years (2014–2016)

On January 29, 2015, Teague earned his first All-Star selection as a reserve for the Eastern Conference in the 2015 NBA All-Star Game.^[23] Teague went on to lead the Hawks to a first-place finish in the East. In the first round against the eighth-seeded Brooklyn Nets, Teague averaged 14.2 points and 7.8 assists per game. In game 6, Teague tallied 13 assists without a single point, helping the Hawks close out the series with a dominating 114–87 win.^[24] In the Conference semi-finals against the Washington Wizards, Teague averaged 16.3 points and 7.0 assists per game. In game 4, Teague recorded 26 points and 8 assists, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter and hitting a clutch three-pointer in the final minutes, sealing a 106–101 win over the Wizards and tying the series at 2–2. In game 6, he recorded 20 points and 7 assists, while assisting DeMarre Carroll on two consecutive possessions in the final minute, giving the Hawks a four-point lead. They went on to win 94–91 after a potential tying three-pointer by Paul Pierce was waved off, clinching the series 4–2. They eventually lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.^[25]

Early on in 2015–16, Teague began to compete for minutes with back-up point guard Dennis Schröder as his role started to diminish largely due to Schröder's improved play and Teague's drop off in production.^[26] Midway through the season, Teague began drawing interest from opposing teams, with the Hawks reportedly talking with other teams about potential trades involving Teague.^[27] On February 1, 2016, Teague scored a season-high 32 points and hit a career-high five three-pointers in a 112–97 win over the Dallas Mavericks.^[28] Teague helped the Hawks reach the Eastern Conference semi-finals, where they were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers.