The Hawks may be staring at one of the most interesting financial windows in the league, and it could arrive as soon as next summer.
Atlanta isn’t just thinking about the season ahead. The bigger picture matters here, too, because the team is expected to have plenty of money to work with once the year is over. How much of that flexibility the front office actually uses is still an open question, but after the last couple of years, it’s hard to imagine the Hawks simply sitting on it.
A big part of that setup traces back to the unexpected Zaccharie Risacher/Lu Dort trade. Dort has one year left on his contract, which gave Atlanta more room to maneuver. The alternative would have been deciding whether to take on Risacher’s expensive team option.
There’s also the possibility of extending Dort, though that likely depends on how the upcoming season unfolds. If the Hawks win, they’ll have the kind of case that tends to get rewarded.
And if the books break the right way, the upside is real. Bobby Marks of ESPN noted that Atlanta could have “up to $50 million in cap space next summer,” if all of its expiring contracts come off the books.
That kind of flexibility matters because the 2027 free-agent pool is stacked. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kevin Durant, Brandon Ingram, Kyrie Irving and more are all on the list.
Some of those players are expected to work out extensions before they ever reach the market, but for now, they’re slated to hit free agency in 2027.
Normally, Atlanta wouldn’t be the kind of destination that jumps out for the biggest names. This time, though, the Hawks may have a real pitch to make.
The reason is simple: the teams expected to have money are the Nets, Bulls, Warriors, Clippers, Grizzlies, Bucks, Pelicans and Kings. Atlanta should be in a stronger position than all of them on the court next season, at least as things stand now.
That’s the opening. The Hawks already have one of the league’s better defense-first rosters, and they may only be missing the kind of star who can push them into a different tier.
For now, the focus is on the 2026-27 season. But next summer could give Atlanta a chance to swing big.
In Other News...
Keaton Wallace's Exit Clears Another Hawks Roster Headache
Keaton Wallace is moving on from Atlanta after signing with Maccabi Tel Aviv, a change that sends the backup guard overseas and reunites him with former Hawks forward Jacob Toppin. Wallace never had a big role with the Hawks, but he was a steady presence when called upon, giving the team dependable minutes in a limited reserve capacity.
For Atlanta, his exit does more than thin out the back end of the guard rotation. It adds another bit of roster flexibility at a time when the Hawks are still sorting out the rest of their team, and that kind of breathing room can matter as decisions around the final spots continue to come into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Jacob Toppin's Hawks Exit Raises One Frustrating What-If
Jacob Toppins run through Atlanta never really got a clean chance to breathe. After being waived by the Hawks, he spent time with the club and its G League affiliate while working his way back from a shoulder injury, then showed up again in the 2026 summer league as he tried to give the team another reason to keep him around. Instead, roster constraints pushed the decision in a different direction, closing the door on a player who had barely had enough court time to show what he could do.
Now there is a fresh landing spot for Toppin, who has signed a three-year contract with Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel. For the Hawks, it leaves behind the familiar frustration of a what-if: a young player who had limited opportunities, battled through injury and still seemed to be on the edge of a longer look, only to move on before Atlanta could fully answer what he might have become in its system. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks May Be One Injury Away From A Familiar Frontcourt Problem
Atlanta spent the offseason trying to add younger legs and more depth, using the draft to bring in Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar while also swinging trades for Aaron Wiggins, Luguentz Dort and Devin Carter. Even after all that movement, the Hawks made one of their quieter but more important moves by bringing back Jock Landale, a bid to shore up the middle after the Kristaps Porzingis trade left the frontcourt thinner than it would have liked.
The starting group is expected to stay intact, so the real pressure point is the reserve center spot and how well Landale holds up in it. Atlanta already got a reminder of how quickly that position can become an issue, and with limited proven alternatives behind him, any extended absence would force the Hawks toward some uncomfortable solutions again. [Read more 🡒]