The Atlanta Hawks have spent the summer reshaping the roster, and the work still isn’t finished. After bringing in Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Devin Carter in trades, and adding Kingston Flemings in the draft, Atlanta has put itself in a strong spot for next season. But the math is still ugly: the Hawks are carrying 17 players on standard contracts, and the league only allows 15.
That means at least two players have to go before Opening Night. Whether that comes through a trade or a waiver decision, the Hawks will need to trim the roster somewhere. And when you look at the current group, three names stand out as the likeliest candidates to be pushed out.
Mouhamed Gueye is one of them. Atlanta has already put real time into developing him, and he’s been with the team for the past three seasons.
He’s flashed potential at both ends, and he was on the floor a lot last year, appearing in 77 games. Even so, the Hawks are clearly aiming higher now, and Gueye may not be the kind of player who can handle heavy minutes on a team trying to become a perennial playoff contender.
He’s also heading into the final year of his rookie contract, which makes him a possible trade or release candidate if Atlanta decides there’s a better option.
Buddy Hield is another name to watch. The Hawks picked him up last season as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade, with the Golden State Warriors sending Hield and Jonathan Kuminga to Atlanta in the deal.
Hield barely had a chance to settle in, playing in just seven games for the Hawks and two playoff games. He remains what he’s always been: a dangerous three-point shooter.
But the defensive side of the ball has never been his calling card, and that makes him a less obvious long-term fit. Moving on from the veteran scorer would make sense if Atlanta wants to cleanly shape the roster.
Corey Kispert rounds out the group. Like Hield, he came to Atlanta in a trade, joining the Hawks as part of the Trae Young deal.
The Washington Wizards sent him and CJ McCollum to Atlanta in that move. Kispert has a path to value as a 3-and-D piece, the kind of player who can space the floor and hold up defensively.
That’s the appeal. But with the roster crunch looming, even players with a useful skill set can end up on the outside looking in.
In Other News...
Jalen Johnson Now Faces The Biggest Test Of Atlantas Offseason
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Johnsons challenge is only part of the picture, though, because the Hawks have created the kind of roster squeeze that usually forces some uncomfortable decisions. The team has to sort out how all of the pieces fit while still keeping enough balance for the season ahead, and that means certain players are already under a brighter spotlight as camp approaches. For Atlanta, the offseason was about getting younger and deeper, but the real test is whether those moves leave enough room for everyone the team wants to keep. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Tied To Jonathan Kuminga Move That Could Swing A Contender
The summer churn around Jonathan Kuminga has narrowed to the point where the market is watching just two familiar contenders, and the ripple effect could still be felt beyond the teams directly involved. For the Hawks, the importance is less about which club lands him and more about how a possible sign-and-trade in this range can reshape the balance of power for another playoff hopeful in a conference already crowded with teams trying to retool on the fly.
Kumingas next move is expected soon, with the sign-and-trade structure adding a layer of complexity because any deal would require a longer commitment from the forward. The Lakers have been viewed as the preferred landing spot, but the Timberwolves remain in the mix, and with both teams having already made meaningful changes to their rosters this offseason, the decision could determine which contender gets the extra piece it has been chasing. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Are Betting Their Biggest Weakness Wont Derail Them Again
Atlanta spent the 2026 playoffs living with a problem it could not quite solve, and it showed up in the frontcourt when depth became a real issue after Jock Landale went down with a season-ending injury. The Hawks are trying to make sure that kind of roster squeeze does not define another spring, with Onyeka Okongwu still central to the rotation and the team clearly focused on having more options behind him.
The front office has already started to address it by bringing in young size, adding rookie centers Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar to the mix. It is the kind of practical, sometimes unglamorous roster planning that can matter most in April, because the Hawks know better than most that one injury can change the shape of a postseason run. [Read more 🡒]