Atlanta Hawks president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh has made a habit of leaning into another team’s cap problems, and he’s done it in back-to-back summers.
First came Kristaps Porziņģis from the Boston Celtics. Then, last month, Lu Dort arrived from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a three-team deal that also included the Dallas Mavericks. In both cases, Saleh stepped into a financial squeeze and came away with proven NBA talent.
Dort was the longest-tenured player in Oklahoma City before the move. He entered the league as an undrafted prospect in 2019 and developed into a core piece, starting at least 69 games in each of the last four seasons. The 27-year-old also earned First Team All-Defense honors in 2024-25 and won an NBA championship.
But this summer, the Thunder had reasons to act. Dort’s 2026 playoff struggles, along with the team’s crowded guard rotation, left general manager Sam Presti facing a tricky financial picture.
Dort’s contract expires after this season, while Cason Wallace - younger and with a higher offensive ceiling - is eligible for an extension. If Oklahoma City had kept Dort, it would have been pushed into the second apron for 2026-27.
That matters because the second apron comes with major roster-building restrictions. Teams in that territory can’t aggregate salary to trade for a higher-paid player, can’t use the mid-level exception to sign free agents, and can’t trade a first-round pick seven years out, among other limitations.
Saleh took advantage of that pressure point and brought Dort to Atlanta, where he now has a chance to reset alongside Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in what looks like a strong defensive group. The 6-foot-4 guard also gives the Hawks championship experience on a young roster with real talent.
The Porziņģis move followed a similar script. Boston won the title in 2024, but by two years later the Celtics had already moved on from Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday and Jaylen Brown, all key starters from that championship team. The second apron made keeping that core together far more difficult, and that’s what opened the door for Atlanta.
The Hawks hoped Porziņģis would fit next to Trae Young and Jalen Johnson, but illness and Achilles tendinitis limited him to 17 games. Atlanta later sent the 7-foot-3 center to the Golden State Warriors for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield before the deadline last season.
On paper, that first swing didn’t work out. But the way Saleh approached it - low risk, cap-aware, and ready to pivot - has become the pattern.
If Dort ends up not fitting Atlanta’s long-term plans the way Porziņģis didn’t, the Hawks can still clear money and open a roster spot for a bigger move next summer. Either way, Saleh has given himself a path forward.
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