NBA free agency is about to open, and the Atlanta Hawks have already been busy.
They’ve made two smaller moves so far, landing Aaron Wiggins from the Oklahoma City Thunder and then bringing in Devin Carter plus a future second-round pick in a deal with the Sacramento Kings. The bigger swings, though, may still be ahead.
Atlanta had been trying to work a deal built around Jonathan Kuminga and his $24.3 million expiring salary, but nothing came together. Kuminga is now a free agent, and that leaves the Hawks with one less major contract they could use to chase an upgrade.
That matters because Atlanta still looks like a team with a clear hole at center. With the re-signing of CJ McCollum, the drafting of Kingston Flemings, and the addition of Carter, the Hawks don’t seem likely to go after another guard. The front office, meanwhile, has reportedly been exploring the trade market for help in the middle.
So what could that look like?
One possibility is Myles Turner. Atlanta would probably need to attach draft compensation to get a deal done, and Turner’s value is tricky to pin down after a down season with the Bucks.
Even so, he checks two boxes the Hawks desperately need: he can still stretch the floor and he can protect the rim. For a team that’s always hunting for a value play, that kind of buy-low opportunity fits the way Onsi Saleh and the front office tend to operate.
Another name to watch is Domantas Sabonis. The question there is whether the Kings would actually be willing to move him.
He might not carry the same trade value he once did, and Atlanta could see a chance to grab an All-Star caliber player with two years left on his deal. Sabonis is a huge rebounder, can run an offense, and gives you floor spacing.
The flip side is obvious: the Hawks would not be getting much rim protection, and his defense could become a major problem. Still, the offensive boost would be real.
There’s also a Dallas angle with Daniel Gafford and Thompson. The Hawks have reportedly been interested in Gafford before, and he could be the odd man out after the Mavericks drafted Morez Johnson last week. Thompson didn’t have a strong season, but he’s on an expiring deal and could help replace the shooting Atlanta would lose by moving Risacher, Kispert, and Hield.
Gafford brings rebounding, rim protection, and solid rim-running on offense, and he’s under contract for three more seasons. Thompson, meanwhile, would be the offensive flier, a possible floor-spacer on an expiring contract.
Dallas would have to decide whether the Hawks’ package makes sense. Risacher fits the Mavericks’ timeline around Cooper Flagg, even if there’s still uncertainty about whether he’s a real NBA rotation player. Kispert and Hield would also give Dallas spacing.
It isn’t a clean trade, but it’s the kind of deal both sides could at least weigh.
Of the three, Turner looks like the most realistic path. He may be the best fit for what Atlanta needs, and he’s also the most believable target. If he can bounce back from his down year, the Hawks could finally get the center help they’ve been searching for.
In Other News...
Hawks Just Made A Backup Center Move With Bigger Implications
Atlanta had already spent the summer sorting out the edges of its frontcourt, and Nicolo Mellis return clarifies at least one part of the picture. The Hawks are bringing him back on a one-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $14 million, using nearly all of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception to get it done because his Non-Bird Rights would not have allowed them to get to that salary any other way. The move points to a clear role for Melli behind Onyeka Okongwu, giving Atlanta a backup center option it knows well.
Mellis return also comes with a bit of roster math attached, because the Hawks are now closer to the tax line and have less flexibility for whatever comes next. He was productive in his time with Atlanta, and his floor spacing gives the team a different look when Okongwu sits, but the bigger question is how much room the Hawks will have left to maneuver if another decision needs to be made before camp. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Just Sent A Telling Message About Their Center Debate
Atlantas center conversation appears to have settled at least for now, with Jock Landale set to return on a one-year deal and the front office signaling it is comfortable moving forward with Onyeka Okongwu as the starting five. The message from the Hawks is pretty clear: they are leaning into the group they already have rather than chasing a pricier fix on the open market, and Landales return gives them another experienced body in the middle without forcing a major reshuffle.
Landale also arrived with a built-in role after coming over from the Utah Jazz just before the trade deadline, so this is not exactly a fresh experiment. What makes the decision more interesting is the way Atlanta views its own finish to last season, since Landales late injury may have had a hand in the playoff issues against the Knicks, especially around rim protection and rebounding. Even with that backdrop, the Hawks seem prepared to trust continuity over a bigger splash, and that choice says plenty about how they see the center debate right now. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Still Face One Risky Free Agency Fix They Can't Ignore
The Hawks offseason checklist still starts inside, where the need for more size and steadier rim protection has been obvious enough to shape how they approach free agency. With a path potentially opening up after Atlanta declined Jonathan Kumingas team option, the front office has at least some flexibility to look at the kind of center help that can ease the burden on Onyeka Okongwu and tighten things up defensively.
Jock Landale gives Atlanta a familiar fallback after being solid down the stretch, while Sacha Mamukelashvili brings a different kind of appeal with his spacing and improved production. Robert Williams III stands out as the most intriguing upside play because of what he can do protecting the rim, but his injury history makes every conversation about him a balancing act. For a Hawks roster trying to cover an obvious weakness without boxing itself in, the answer may come down to how much risk it is willing to absorb for a solution that could matter all season. [Read more 🡒]