Atlanta’s final roster move before media day came down to a familiar NBA trade-off: keep the veteran who can still swing a game, or keep the one whose best value is mostly in the room.
The answer, at least for now, is Dorian Finney-Smith. With the roster trimmed to 15 players, Atlanta chose the former late-summer addition over Buddy Hield, a decision that says plenty about what the team wanted most from its veteran spot.
It wasn’t just age or experience. It was the chance to get someone who could still log meaningful minutes when called upon.
That’s where Finney-Smith separates himself.
He’s coming off a rough season, and if you only glance at the numbers, it wouldn’t be wild to say Hield was better last year. But that misses the bigger picture.
Finney-Smith dealt with injury and an uneven role, and those factors matter when judging what kind of player he really is. The bet here is on a rebound in the 2026-27 season, especially now that he seems to be walking into a much steadier situation in Atlanta.
If he stays healthy, Finney-Smith could end up being a useful piece in the back half of the nightly rotation. His calling cards are unchanged: defense, toughness, and reliable shooting from the outside. His long-term track record from three-point range carries more weight than one down year, and Quin Snyder’s movement-heavy offense should give him the kind of clean looks that can push those numbers back up.
Hield, though, still holds the edge from deep in 2026.
Atlanta simply decided it already had enough shooting elsewhere on the roster. That opened the door for Finney-Smith to win out on the strength of everything beyond the arc. In that wider evaluation, he has a real argument as the more complete player, and that appears to have mattered in the team’s final offseason call.
There’s also the fit piece, which mattered just as much as the basketball. Both players bring value in the locker room, and both are the kind of veterans teammates gravitate toward. But Atlanta clearly leaned toward the one who could offer more on the court if needed.
Hield is now off to Charlotte, where he’ll give his new team the same sort of steady presence he brought to Atlanta in his half-season there. He may not be part of the nightly rotation, but just being around the group as the team moves through an era change has value. He’s still a realistic ninth- or tenth-man option, and the impact of his personality in a locker room is obvious.
Atlanta, though, made its choice. Finney-Smith gets the spot, and the message is simple: the Hawks wanted a veteran who can still play.
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