The Atlanta Hawks have done plenty of reshuffling this offseason, but they may not be finished yet.
Atlanta has already brought back CJ McCollum and Jock Landale from last year’s team, added Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor, and Henri Veesaar in the draft, and swung trades for Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Devin Carter, and Ryan Nembhard. The goal is clear: build a deeper roster without losing strength in the starting five.
Even with all that movement, the Hawks still have one more problem to solve before training camp next month. They currently have 17 players under contract and need to trim that number to at least 15 before the regular season, though they could choose to carry just 14 and leave a spot open.
That means a move is coming eventually, but it may not happen quickly. Atlanta can afford to wait if the right deal does not show up.
The most likely candidates to be dealt come from a group that includes Corey Kispert, Buddy Hield, Devin Carter, Mouhamed Gueye, and Ryan Nembhard. Carter cannot be traded until August 30th, while Nembhard has to wait until Sept. 19th. Which combination of those players actually gets moved is still unclear.
Kispert and Hield appear to be the most obvious names in play. Both offer shooting, but little else for this roster, and if they stay, their minutes could be scarce.
Kispert looks like the toughest one to move. His contract makes things complicated, and he did not impress much with the Hawks last season.
Hield’s situation is a little different, but not by much. He is on an expiring deal of sorts, yet teams still have to decide whether they want to take on a player making $9.6 million after he fell out of Golden State’s rotation and then couldn’t get on the floor in Atlanta.
Atlanta would probably prefer to move Kispert or Hield, but if that proves difficult, the cheaper contracts on the roster may become part of the answer.
Carter was the player the Hawks received a second-round pick from the Kings to take on, and the team wants to see whether the former lottery pick can carve out a role. He also has a team option for next season that must be decided on by Oct. 31, which could turn him into an expiring contract. Because of his low salary, he could become a trade candidate once he is eligible.
Nembhard is another possible option. He is on an expiring $2.1 million deal and showed enough with the Mavericks last season to suggest he can stick in the NBA. If the Hawks decide to move him, he should have value, but they will have to wait until Sept. 19th.
Gueye is the one Atlanta would most likely prefer to keep. The Hawks like him, but his foot injury will keep him out until October or November, and his $2.4 million salary is non-guaranteed. If the team cannot work out another move, Gueye could be traded or, less likely, waived.
However it plays out, Hawks president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh has a real roster puzzle on his hands, and there does not appear to be an easy fix.
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