The Hawks are still staring at a roster crunch, and that alone makes the final stretch of the offseason worth watching. Atlanta is carrying 17 players right now, which is two over the regular-season limit of 15, so Onsi Saleh and the front office have to trim the group before opening night.
That opens the door for a bigger kind of move than Atlanta has usually made. The Hawks have mostly leaned on development and smaller depth additions, but there’s a case for taking a swing that improves the roster, cleans up a salary situation, and plugs a few sneaky holes at once.
One idea on the table is a three-team deal built around Fred VanVleet landing in Atlanta. In the framework, the Rockets would receive Corey Kispert, Mouhamed Gueye, Sam Hauser, and a 2027 first-round pick - the least favorable of New Orleans and Milwaukee, top-four protected.
For Atlanta, the appeal is pretty clear. VanVleet is coming off an injury, but the package of leadership, defensive presence, three-point shooting, and underrated playmaking would address several needs at once. He’s on an expiring deal, which gives the Hawks flexibility: he could become a useful trade chip at the deadline if a star becomes available, or he could simply help clear a path to more cap room next summer.
He also fits the roster in a way that creates some lineup options. Atlanta could move CJ McCollum to the bench and bring Kingston Flemings along at a slower pace if it wants to.
There’s another layer here, too. Atlanta didn’t have a dependable third center last season behind Onyeka Okongwu and Jock Landale.
The Hawks drafted Henri Veesaar this summer, but the question is whether he’s ready to step in if Okongwu or Landale gets hurt. Luke Garza would give them a sturdier option there, and he’s on an expiring contract as well.
The cost for Atlanta would be Gueye and the 2027 first-rounder, and that’s not nothing. But the logic is straightforward: make the team better now, move salary, and keep the books cleaner for next summer or for a future trade chase.
Houston’s side of the deal is about reshuffling value while VanVleet is still on an expiring contract. The Rockets would move Capela’s contract, pick up shooting, and continue developing Reed Sheppard. They’d also add another draft asset for a bigger trade later if they want it, along with Gueye as an intriguing defender.
Boston’s piece is simpler. The Celtics would shed Hauser’s contract, take a step down in talent by replacing him with Hield, and save money in the process. Capela would fill the role of veteran third center behind Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta.
In Other News...
Kyrie Irving Rumors Give Hawks A Potential Answer They Desperately Need
The Hawks have spent plenty of time searching for another perimeter creator, and Kyrie Irving is the sort of name that naturally draws attention. Even in a speculative trade market, his ability to create his own shot and bend a defense would give Atlanta a very different kind of option alongside its current core, especially if he looks like the same explosive guard teams have long had to game plan around.
ESPN's Tim MacMahon recently added more fuel to the conversation by noting that league observers are keeping an eye on how Irving fits in Dallas. For Atlanta, that matters because any real path to landing a player of his caliber would depend on how the Mavericks view their own direction, and whether they decide to engage at all as the deadline approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Give Lamont Butler Another Chance After A Brutal Lost Year
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Now the Hawks are bringing Butler back on another low-risk chance to keep developing within the system, with the G League route still the most likely next stop. The plan is for him to spend the coming season with College Park, where the organization can keep a closer eye on his recovery and progress while leaving the door open for a bigger opportunity if he shows hes ready. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Are Betting Everything On One Risky Path To Contend
The Hawks spent the offseason leaning into an approach that can feel less dramatic than a blockbuster trade, but no less important to how they see their future. President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh made it clear the organization is centering its plan on player development, with the coaching staff and front office treating growth from within as the main path toward becoming a contender.
That means Atlanta is asking a lot from several players whose progress could shape the season, including Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu and Mouhamed Gueye. The idea is straightforward even if the results are hard to predict: if the Hawks are going to take a meaningful step forward, it likely will come from this group continuing to improve rather than from one sweeping change to the roster. [Read more 🡒]