The Atlanta Hawks didn’t make much noise this offseason, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been sitting still. In fact, the quiet approach may be part of the plan. With the regular season set to begin Wednesday, Atlanta is entering the year with a roster built for flexibility - and according to ESPN insiders, that could make the Hawks a team to watch for a major move either during the season or next summer.
Onsi Saleh’s front office has clearly valued optionality. The Hawks wanted to improve the roster, sure, but they also wanted to preserve room to maneuver. That matters because Atlanta is sitting on one of the league’s cleaner financial setups, with enough expiring money to be aggressive if the right star becomes available.
CJ McCollum is on a $21 million expiring deal. Lu Dort checks in at $17.8 million.
Jock Landale is on $14 million. Dorian Finney-Smith has $14.1 million, with a non-guaranteed salary in 2027-2028.
Mouhamed Gueye adds $2.4 million. Altogether, that gives the Hawks nearly $70 million in expiring money they can use either to chase a trade or to create a huge amount of cap space next summer.
That flexibility is exactly why Brian Windhorst and Tim McMahon brought Atlanta up on the latest Hoop Collective Podcast. Windhorst said the Hawks are set up to be a top-six team in the East and flagged them as a team to keep an eye on for a big move.
“The Hawks have set themselves up to be a top 6 team in the east. There’s are more good teams in the East than the West now.
Now i don’t know if it’ll play out that way at the top of the conferences. With how many championship contenders we have.
But the Hawks are set up to be competitive this year. They are also definitely someone to keep an eye on for a big trade this year, and will have cap space next year.
Maybe Karl Towns is a free agent, maybe Anthony Davis is a free agent.”
Windhorst also expanded on that idea in writing, noting that if Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns were to decline his player option next summer, Atlanta would be among the teams watching closely. He added that it is unlikely Towns actually leaves.
“If Towns isn't extended, he could opt out and enter free agency. There definitely are teams -- starting with the Golden State Warriors, LA Clippers, and Atlanta Hawks -- that would probably line up to make big offers. This is what other teams are studying with the Knicks.”
That doesn’t make Towns a likely Hawks target, but it does underline the bigger picture: Atlanta has the kind of financial room and trade ammo that can matter fast if the right name hits the market.
The challenge, of course, is that the league rarely hands out obvious stars on a silver platter. Big names changing teams in free agency has become less common, which makes planning around that kind of move tricky. Still, the Hawks have built themselves into a spot where they can react quickly if opportunity knocks.
For now, Atlanta is focused on the games in front of it and the grind of a tough Eastern Conference. But the front office has left the door open, and if the right moment comes, the Hawks are positioned to make a swing that could change the trajectory of the franchise.
In Other News...
Hawks Rotation Battle Just Got More Interesting After That Blowout
The Hawks preseason win over Dallas was lopsided enough to look routine on the surface, but it also gave the coaching staff a longer look at pieces fighting for real rotation minutes. Atlanta rolled to a 135-111 victory with its starters logging significant run, and the best signs came from the players trying to carve out bigger roles around the core. JJ Johnson turned in a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Jock Landale was productive in limited minutes with 14 points.
For a team still sorting out the edges of the lineup, the more revealing performances came from the backcourt and wing spots where competition is tight. Dyson Daniels brought defensive energy, but his offense did not come easily, and the kind of preseason night that can clarify a pecking order also left one of Atlantas deeper options with more to prove as camp moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Wiggins May Have Solved A Hawks Problem From Last Season
A season ago, Atlantas lack of forward depth was one of the issues that kept showing up when the rotation got stretched. The Hawks have tried to address that by bringing in Aaron Wiggins, and his preseason run against the Dallas Mavericks offered a useful early glimpse of what he might add. He looked comfortable coming off the bench, filled the box score, and gave Atlanta another wing option who can help the team avoid the thin spots that hurt it last year.
The bigger question is whether Wiggins can keep that level of impact once the games count for real. Atlanta also has Lu Dort on the roster, bringing another defensive-minded presence with him from his Oklahoma City days, so there is at least some evidence the Hawks are trying to build more balance on the perimeter. If Wiggins preseason form carries over, it could go a long way toward making this group tougher to wear down over the course of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Jock Landale Just Revived A Painful Hawks Playoff What-If
John Collins gave Atlanta a useful glimpse of what its frontcourt can look like in the preseason finale against Dallas, finishing with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and a block. For a team that spent part of last spring searching for answers inside, any reminder of depth and versatility tends to linger, especially when it comes from a big man who can do a little bit of everything.
Jock Landales night only sharpened that feeling. He has been working back after the ankle injury that cost him the postseason, and his preseason performance offered a reminder of what the Hawks were missing when the rotation got thin in that first-round series against New York. If he stays on the floor, his blend of size, skill and mobility could matter in a much different way this time around. [Read more 🡒]