The Atlanta Hawks could head into next summer with a lot more flexibility than teams around them, and that’s what makes their offseason setup so intriguing. Training camp in Nashville is only a few weeks away, and while the immediate focus is on building toward another playoff berth, the roster decisions already in motion are pointing straight at 2027.
Right now, Atlanta has a path to meaningful cap room if it chooses to take it. If Buddy Hield stays on the roster this season and the Hawks waive him by the contract date - one day after the 2027 NBA Draft - they would be responsible for only about $3 million. That leaves the Hawks at $121,871,676 for nine players, and with the salary cap projected to rise next summer, that gives the front office a real amount of room to work with.
There’s also the possibility of creating even more space. If the Hawks were to trade Corey Kispert at some point during the season, they could open up additional flexibility while still keeping the core of the roster intact.
That kind of setup gives Atlanta options: chase a star if one becomes available, or sit on the space and use it however it wants. Either way, the Hawks could be in position to choose their lane.
That same flexibility also makes next summer a big one for extensions. Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and reserve wing Aaron Wiggins are all extension eligible. That doesn’t lock Atlanta into anything, but it does put those names on the board.
Johnson stands out first. After this season, he’ll have three years and $90 million left on his deal.
That’s already a strong number for the team, though Johnson is worth more than that. The question is whether the Hawks would want to extend him now or wait with three seasons still on the contract.
Alexander-Walker’s situation is also worth watching closely. He’ll have one guaranteed year left at $15.1 million, followed by a player option for $15.9 million in 2028-2029.
Based on how well he has played, the Hawks should probably expect him to keep that deal moving for the next two seasons before deciding whether to decline the option. His extension next offseason looks like one to monitor.
Wiggins is in a different category because of how favorable his contract is. He is set to make $8.1 million in 2027-2028 and then has a team option for the same amount in 2028-2029.
Corey Kispert and Devin Carter are also extension eligible, though neither is guaranteed to be on the roster this season. In Carter’s case, it is far too early to know whether Atlanta would even want to extend him next summer.
And if the Hawks do decide to preserve cap space, they could still use some of it on their own free agents. CJ McCollum, Lu Dort, Jock Landale, Mouhamed Gueye, Ryan Nembhard as a restricted free agent, and possibly Devin Carter are all set to reach free agency.
McCollum’s case will be tied to his age, while Dort and Landale will likely come down to how they perform this season. However Atlanta chooses to approach it, next summer already looks like one of the more important decision points on the horizon.
In Other News...
Buddy Hield's Hawks Future May Hinge On A Bigger Plan
The Hawks are down to 16 players after waiving Devin Carter, which means one more move is coming soon to get to the 15-man limit. That has put a spotlight on Buddy Hield, whose place on the roster remains unsettled as Atlanta sorts through the final steps of its summer roster build.
Hields value may have less to do with what he does on the floor right now and more to do with what his deal could do later. His contract gives Atlanta another lever if the front office decides to chase a star to put alongside Jalen Johnson, and for the moment the Hawks have not settled on whether Hield is part of the long-term plan or a strategic piece to hold onto. [Read more 🡒]