The Atlanta Hawks have built themselves into a team with real flexibility, and the contract sheet shows it. For now, that gives them room to maneuver during the season and again in the offseason.
But that kind of setup does not last forever. A lot of these players are already underpaid relative to what they could command next time they hit the market.
That’s why the Hawks’ roster has to be viewed through two lenses at once: who is actually part of the long-term core, and who would be attractive in a trade because the number on the contract doesn’t match the player’s value. Jalen Johnson sits at the top of that list at $30,000,000, and he’s not just tradeable in theory - he’s the kind of player another team would pay up for because of his age, contract, and talent.
But Atlanta views him as the centerpiece. The Hawks consider him an “MVP level” talent after an All-NBA level season, and he had the best year of his career last season.
Onyeka Okongwu is in a similar tier of value, even if the role is different. At $16,100,000, he’s an upper-tier starting center and underpaid for what he brings. Compared with the money going to players like Myles Turner and Nic Claxton, Okongwu stands out as one of the better contracts in the league.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, at $14,403,710, also belongs near the top of the list. He was the best free agent signing in the league last season and became the second straight Hawks player to win Most Improved Player.
He’s expected to stay in the starting lineup this season, though long term he might fit better as a bench piece. If he takes another step forward, his value on this deal could jump even higher.
Then there are the contracts that are less about headline value and more about how much the Hawks are getting for the money. Aaron Wiggins at $9,028,038 is on a descending contract with a team option at the end, which is exactly the kind of structure front offices love.
Mouhamed Gueye at $2,406,205 has improved every season and gives Atlanta a valuable mix of athleticism, help defense, and a developing offensive game. The Hawks would likely value him more than another team would in a trade.
The same logic applies to Kingston Flemings at $7,348,680, Zuby Ejiofor at $3,453,360, and Asa Newell at $3,399,480. Newell barely played as a rookie, but Atlanta is high on his offensive upside and he could outplay this number quickly. Flemings and Ejiofor were just drafted, and their Summer League performances help explain why the Hawks took them where they did.
There’s also the other side of the ledger: the contracts that look more like short-term trade chips. CJ McCollum is at $21,000,000 and Jock Landale is at $14,000,000, and both were one-year deals when Atlanta acquired them.
Together, they add up to $36 million in expiring money. Both players mattered after arriving ahead of the trade deadline, but neither is part of the long-range plan, so they could be moved again when the deadline comes back around.
Zaccharie Risacher and Devin Carter are worth watching in October, when Atlanta has to decide on their team options. Risacher’s is $17,434,637 and Carter’s is $7,370,897 for next season.
If the Hawks decline those options, both become expiring contracts and give the team two more pieces it could potentially trade. If the options are picked up, they become harder to move.
Either way, neither player is locked into the Hawks’ long-term plans, and both need big seasons in 2026-2027.
There’s also Buddy Hield, whose guaranteed contract was a surprise. He wasn’t in the rotation after coming over from Golden State, and while he could still help an NBA roster, he’s overpaid at nearly $10 million.
Kispert is a tougher case. He has three years left on his deal, his defense pushed him out of the rotation, and his role for this season is still unclear.
In Other News...
Hawks Just Sent Another Telling Signal About Their Wing Plan
The Hawks have spent the offseason sending a pretty clear message about what they want on the wing: size, shooting and defense, with a long-term answer at small forward at the center of the plan. Drafting Zaccharie Risacher and trading for Jonathan Kuminga already pointed in that direction, and Atlantas roster-building has leaned toward balanced roles rather than asking one forward to do everything.
Kumingas uneven NBA track record has only sharpened the search, and the Hawks have been weighing sign-and-trade possibilities as they keep looking for the right fit. Peyton Watson has emerged as the kind of 3-and-D profile Atlanta seems to value, thanks to strong shooting and defensive indicators, and the way the Hawks keep circling this spot suggests they are not done reshaping it yet. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Free Agency Report Card Has One Grade Fans May Hate
The Hawks have spent the summer building with patience instead of splashy urgency, leaning into a longer view as they reshape the roster around the 2026-2027 season. Between the draft, a handful of trades and a series of retention moves, Atlanta has tried to add both veteran stability and younger depth, with names like CJ McCollum, Nicolo Melli, Andrew Wiggins and Keegan Murray all part of the broader retool.
Even so, not every decision has landed cleanly with fans, and that is where the grades start to wobble a bit. Atlanta has kept the door open on Jonathan Kuminga while also sorting through the rest of its free-agent business, and the front offices willingness to hold onto certain pieces instead of moving on from them has left at least one part of the report card looking far less popular than the rest. [Read more 🡒]