Hoops Rumors examines the 2026 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, recapping the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures and more. We’ll take a look at each team’s offseason action and take a look at what else could happen before the regular season begins. Today we focus on Atlanta Hawks.
Signing free agents
- Jock Landale: One year, $14,100,000. Full warranty. Re-signed using the mid-level non-taxpayer exemption. They gave up the right of veto on trade.
- Devon Higgs: Year, minimum wage. Not guaranteed (app. 9/10). Signed using the minimum wage exemption.
Trades
- Acquired rights to the project Henri Veesaar (pick #52) from the Clippers in exchange for draft picks Narcissus Ngoi (pick #57) and cash ($1.5 million).
- Purchased Devin Carter and the Kings’ second-round pick in 2033 in exchange for a draft pick Big Alpha.
- Purchased Aaron Wiggins from the Thunder in exchange for a second-round pick to the Hawks in 2030 and a second-round pick to the Hawks or Lakers in 2032 (whichever is least favorable).
- Purchased Lugentz is there from thunder and Ryan Nembhard from the Mavericks in a three-team trade in exchange for Zachary Ryzaker (to Mavericks), a 2027 Hawks second-round pick (top-55 protected; to Mavericks), a Rockets second-round pick (56-60 protected) or a 2031 Hawks second-round pick (whichever is more favorable; to Thunder), and a second-round pick to Lakers or Hawks in 2032 (whichever is more favorable; Thunder).
Drafts
- 1-8: Kingston Flemings
- Signed rookie contract (four years, $33,430,921). The first two years with a guarantee. Third and fourth year team options.
- 1-23: Ejiofor’s teeth
- Signed rookie contract (four years, $17,323,697). The first two years with a guarantee. Third and fourth year team options.
- 2-52: Henri Veesaar
- Signed to a four-year, $9,264,648 contract with the use of the second-round exception. Third year without warranty. Fourth-year team option.
Two-sided signatures
- Jalen Wilson
- One year, $91,000 partially guaranteed (will increase to $339,441 at the start of the regular season).
Note: Hawks moved Ray Jay Dennis and Keshawn Gilbert on bilateral contracts from 2025/26.
Abandoned/Unsigned Free Agents
Other moves are listed
- Signed CJ McCollum to a one-year, $21,000,000 veteran contract extension that begins in 2026/27. Full warranty. Includes trade kicker (7.5%).
- Executed command option on Muhammed Guye ($2,406,205; not guaranteed).
Salary cap situation
Note: Numbers are rounded to one decimal place.
- Operating above the cap ($165 million) and below the first tax bracket ($209 million).
- A hard hat on the first apron.
- Team salary: $196.3 million (tax); $197.7 million (apron).
- Below the luxury tax line by $4.1 million; below the $11.3 million hard cap.
- A partial exemption is available for middle-income nontaxpayers ($944,000) and a full biennial exemption ($5.5 million).
- Four exceptions are available for traded players (the largest is $4.5 million).
Offseason yet
At the start of the summer, the Hawks were well-positioned to make a star on the trade market if they wanted to. Armed with a pair of 2026 first-round picks (including the No. 8 overall pick), several future first-rounders and a handful of productive young players with lucrative contracts, Atlanta could make a competitive bid for Janice Antecumbafor example.
But there is no sign of that recently promoted president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh and the front office ever seriously considered going that route. After finishing the regular season 19-5 and winning more playoff games against the eventual champion Knicks than the Sixers, Cavaliers and Spurs between them, the Hawks decided they were on the right track with their current core leading the way Jalen Johnsonand has taken steps to bring back most of the key members of last season’s group.
It meant expansion head coach Quinn Snyder and a veteran of the Guard CJ McCollum. This also meant re-signing the center of the second string Jock Landale.
It’s fair to wonder if Snyder is the right man for the job in Atlanta. In three-plus years on the job, he still has a sub-.500 regular season record (132-135) and the team has not made it past the first round of the playoffs during his tenure. The Hawks’ decision to use nearly all of their non-taxpayer mid-level exceptions on Landale was also surprising — among unrestricted free agent centers, only Mitchell Robinson earned more annual salary on his new deal this offseason than Landale’s $14.1 million.
But the Hawks wisely gave themselves a choice with these moves. The contracts of McCollum ($21MM) and Landale ($14.1MM) could be useful for salary matching purposes if the front office decides to turn the corner at the trade deadline, with neither contract structured to allow implied no-trade clause. And it’s not like coaches count against the salary cap, so if management decides in a year or two that Snyder needs to be replaced before his extension expires, there won’t be any real obstacles in their way.
Aside from the return of McCollum and Landale, the Hawks continued to load up on quality two-way depth on the trade market and in the draft.
A pair of exchanges with the Thunder in which the Hawks surrendered Zachary Ryzaker and four mesh wings in the second round Lugentz is there and Aaron Wiggins along with a promising young guard Ryan Nembhardwho came from Dallas when OKC’s second trade became a three-team deal.
It’s a tough break for the Hawks in a year when they went No. 1 overall between Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg drafts. Rizacher could still become a starter-level NBA player, but his first two seasons fell short of top-draft expectations as he slipped out of the regular rotation late in the season and into the playoffs. Saleh acted wisely by not falling for the underspend bug, getting what he could for Rizacher while the team looked to add pieces better suited to the current roster.
The Hawks added a guard in the draft Kingston Flemings in No. 8, a big man Ejiofor’s teeth at No. 23 and center Henri Veesaar at No. 52. While we’ve glossed over late second-round picks in many of our offseason check-ins, it’s worth highlighting Visar given that many experts viewed him as a borderline first-round prospect heading into the draft. His representatives reportedly warned some teams against selecting him in the second round in an attempt to steer him into a favorable situation when Atlanta moved up from No. 57 to snag him.
While Ejiofor and Wisaar will provide frontcourt depth as rookies, Fleming is expected to be the prize of this year’s draft for the Hawks. In a draft with four consensus top prospects and another group of four right behind them, Flemings was the latest member of that second tier to come off the board after his big freshman year in Houston.
A talented scorer and shooter with a defensive edge, Fleming likely won’t get a significant role right away in the crowded backcourt that McCollum will feature, Nikhil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Danielsand Nembhard, but he has legitimate upside and could work his way into Atlanta’s rotation as a rookie.
Next
The Hawks have a roster to deal with this fall: 17 players on standard contracts for 15 regular season spots. I suspect Devin Carter may be one odd person. The former King was a 2024 lottery pick but battled injuries through his first two NBA seasons and was ineffective even when available. He also became a bit redundant on this roster after Atlanta acquired Nembhardt in the following trade.
The Hawks would probably like to make a consolidation deal during the preseason if the opportunity presents itself, as there aren’t a ton of obvious graduation candidates on the roster other than Carter. Muhammed GuyeWorld Health Organization had an operation on his feet this summer and is on a non-guaranteed contract expiring, is another player who appears to be at the highest risk, but he was a productive contributor off the bench last season and Atlanta will need to continue to pay him until he is healthy enough to play.
Perhaps there will be no place for a sniper in the future plans of the Hawks Buddy Hieldbut his $9.7 million salary could be needed on the trade market during the season, and the team will owe him a partial guarantee of $3.1 million for the 2027/28 season if he is waived. Finding a merchant for him would be a better outcome than giving him up.
Gaye and Hield are among the Hawks’ players eligible for an extension, though I can’t imagine signing a new contract at this point. Mr. Akongwuwho will be eligible starting Oct. 1, and Dort, who will face some restrictions until Jan. 19 (six months after his trade to Oklahoma City), are more viable candidates for new deals.
Okongwu’s maximum contract extension in October will be worth about $76.6 million over three years, while Dort could be signed for up to $67 million over three seasons. Okongwu still has two years left on his contract and Dort will be eligible for an extension until June 30, 2027, so Atlanta is in no rush to bench either player before opening night, but I expect both guys to play important roles for the team this season.
