The Hawks have already put together a busy offseason, and the work is far from done.
Before free agency even officially opens Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. ET, Atlanta has managed to check off a number of important items, from roster moves to front-office and coaching decisions. The team has also already gotten through the 2026 NBA Draft, and the focus now shifts to how the Hawks shape the roster for 2026-2027.
One of the first pieces of business was bringing back CJ McCollum on a one-year, $21 million deal. McCollum is not part of the long-term plan, but he gave Atlanta exactly what it needed last season: veteran stability and scoring, including two big games in the playoffs against the Knicks. Unless the Hawks make a major swing elsewhere, he is expected to start again and fill a similar role to the one he handled last year.
Atlanta has also made a pair of important calls on Buddy Hield and Mouhamed Gueye. Gueye’s $2.4 million team option was picked up last week, keeping a defender the Hawks clearly value at a very reasonable price. He is also extension eligible this offseason.
Hield’s situation was handled differently. The Hawks had until June 25 to decide whether to guarantee his $9.6 million salary for this season, and after both sides agreed to push that deadline to June 28, Atlanta let the date pass and guaranteed the money. That does not necessarily lock Hield into the rotation, though, since that salary can still be used in a trade.
The first trade of the offseason came last Sunday, when Atlanta sent two second-round picks to Oklahoma City for Aaron Wiggins. The Thunder’s financial squeeze opened the door, and the Hawks took advantage by adding a young wing on a strong contract.
Then came the draft, and Atlanta stood pat despite plenty of speculation that it might get aggressive on draft night. The Hawks came away with three picks and used all of them: Houston point guard Kingston Flemings at No. 8, Saint Johns forward/center Zuby Ejiofor at No. 23, and North Carolina center Henri Veesaar at No. 52 after moving up in the second round.
Veesaar had been viewed by many as a possible first-round pick, so getting him that late gave Atlanta a chance to capitalize on a slide.
The front office has been active beyond player movement, too. Quin Snyder received a contract extension, and Onsi Saleh was promoted to President of Basketball Operations and also given an extension.
For now, that’s the Hawks’ offseason ledger: a veteran guard back in the fold, a pair of notable contract decisions, a trade for a young wing, three draft additions, and major stability in the coaching and front office structure. More moves are expected before the month is over.
In Other News...
Hawks Just Got A Huge Break In The Southeast Division
The Southeast Division just got a fresh jolt, and the ripple effects should matter in Atlanta. With Miami and Charlotte reshuffling the top end of their rosters, the short-term balance in the division suddenly looks a little friendlier for the Hawks, who have spent the last few seasons trying to climb back into the East's upper middle class.
Atlanta also has some history of preparing for the division's biggest problems in creative ways, especially against Giannis Antetokounmpo, using unusual defensive looks since 2021 to try to slow his path into the paint. If those kinds of matchups become less frequent in the division race, it could give the Hawks a cleaner runway while Charlotte's timeline gets pushed back a bit more. [Read more 🡒]
Former Hawks Big Suddenly Lands In A Much Bigger Free Agency Battle
The Lakers are shopping for frontcourt help, and Jock Landale has surfaced as one of the bigger names in that mix. The former Hawks center spent part of last season in Atlanta after being waived by Utah, then appeared in 23 games for the Hawks before moving on, and his value around the league has only grown since then. With his physical style and size, he fits the kind of depth teams tend to chase once the market opens.
Atlanta, though, may have a familiar reason to keep an eye on where this goes. Landale is drawing interest from multiple suitors, including teams that can put together a much more aggressive pitch than a simple depth spot, and he is expected to command offers beyond the bi-annual exception. For a Hawks team that already knows what he brings, the question is less about whether he belongs on a roster and more about whether his next deal gets pushed into a range that changes the entire competition. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Are One Costly Offseason Decision Away From Changing Everything
After a busy stretch of roster shuffling, the Hawks have already checked off a handful of offseason items by re-signing CJ McCollum, adding Aaron Wiggins in a trade, drafting three players and picking up Mouhamed Gueyes team option. Even with those moves in place, Atlanta is still working through how to balance its depth chart with the hard realities of the cap as free agency approaches.
The biggest pressure point is the front offices next contract decision, one that could push the roster into a far more restrictive financial lane if the club decides to keep moving forward with its current plan. Atlanta is also weighing whether it can clear enough room by exploring trades involving Buddy Hield, Corey Kispert and Zaccharie Risacher, a reminder that one more move could reshape not just the rotation but the teams entire offseason flexibility. [Read more 🡒]