Onsi Saleh has spent his first stretch steering the Atlanta Hawks the same way: by staying alert for other teams’ money problems and turning them into Atlanta’s advantage.
That approach showed up last offseason when the Hawks landed Kristaps Porzingis from the Boston Celtics, who were tangled up in their luxury tax and second-apron issues. The move didn’t ultimately work out, but Atlanta didn’t pay much to take the swing.
Saleh went back to that playbook this summer. The Oklahoma City Thunder were heading toward becoming the NBA’s most expensive team and needed to cut salary without bringing anything back, so the Hawks stepped in and got Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins for a handful of second-round picks.
Both players are expected to be major pieces in Atlanta’s rotation this season. Another quieter move came when Atlanta picked up Devin Carter and a second-round pick from the Kings, who were bumping against the first apron.
That kind of deal-making has given the Hawks something useful beyond immediate help: flexibility. Atlanta now has a cluster of expiring contracts that could matter at the trade deadline in February or simply roll off the books and open up major cap space next summer.
CJ McCollum is on a one-year, $21 million deal, Jock Landale is on a one-year, $14 million deal, and Dort is on a $17.7 million contract. Put those together and Atlanta is sitting on nearly $53 million in expiring money.
If the Hawks decline the team option on Carter, he becomes another $5.1 million expiring contract. Mouhamed Gueye, at $2.4 million, and Ryan Nembhard, at $2.1 million, are also set to expire, though Nembhard would head into restricted free agency.
That setup could put Atlanta in position when the next big-name player becomes available, whether that’s at the deadline or in a future offseason. There isn’t an obvious star trade target right now, and elite players almost never reach free agency, so luck will still have a say. But the Hawks have made themselves ready for the moment it arrives.
Part of the appeal is the group already in place. Jalen Johnson is on $30 million, Dyson Daniels on $25 million, Onyeka Okongwu on $16.1 million, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker on $14.4 million, all numbers that look light compared with what those players could command next. Saleh already got Daniels and NAW extended, and Okongwu is next, with Johnson to follow later.
There’s also the possibility that young players such as Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor, Asa Newell, and/or Henri Veesaar outperform their rookie deals early, which would only deepen the roster and make the Hawks more attractive.
Saleh kept saying all offseason that Atlanta would be patient and wouldn’t skip steps. That kind of talk is easy to shrug off, but this time he backed it up with a clear plan and followed through.
After the mess left by the Dejounte Murray era, the Hawks have finally started to see a path forward. They’ve recovered reasonably well from the fallout, but the lesson is clear: they can’t afford to go all-in recklessly again.
In Other News...
Hawks Still Have One Big Jonathan Kuminga Question Hanging Over Them
Jonathan Kuminga is still sitting in free agency late in the process, and the ripple effects are worth watching for a Hawks team that has kept an eye on the market around him. Cleveland had been seen as a possible landing spot, but the Cavaliers trade for Peyton Watson addressed a similar kind of positional need and may have changed their calculus. Meanwhile, the Lakers are widely viewed as the front-runner, though their path to Kuminga would require a sign-and-trade because of cap constraints.
For Atlanta, the important part is that the board is not settled yet. Other teams could still jump in, and Kuminga remains one of the more intriguing names left on the market because his next move still depends on how the rest of the free-agent picture unfolds. Even with the leading suitors starting to take shape, there is still enough uncertainty here to keep the Hawks watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Just Got Another Reminder How Tough The East Will Be
The East already looked deeper entering the season, and the latest move around the conference only reinforces how crowded the race is becoming. The Knicks have helped set the tone with their rise, while teams like the Hawks and Cavaliers have also pushed themselves into a more competitive tier, making the margin for error even smaller for anyone trying to climb the standings.
Cleveland added another layer to that picture by bringing in Peyton Watson, a move that gives a rising contender more length and versatility on the wing. For Atlanta, it is another reminder that the conference schedule will not offer many soft spots, with matchups likely to feel increasingly physical and playoff-like well before spring arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Johnson Faces The Question That Will Define The Hawks Season
Jalen Johnson entered last season as the Hawks new centerpiece after the Trae Young trade, and he answered the job with an All-Star debut and a place on the All-NBA team. For a team trying to reset around a younger core, that kind of leap gave Atlanta a real foundation, one built less on splash and more on the hope that Johnson could grow into the player who defines the next era.
The playoff series against the Knicks, though, left a more complicated picture, because the questions around Johnson were no longer about talent but about whether his game would travel when the stakes rose. Atlantas offseason reflected that same patience, with the front office opting to keep building gradually through youth and veteran additions rather than chase an instant co-star, leaving Johnson at the center of a plan that still needs proof. [Read more 🡒]