The Atlanta Hawks have spent the offseason working in a way that feels busy without being loud. While several Eastern Conference teams chased headline-grabbing upgrades, Atlanta has focused on keeping its own group together, adding depth, and getting the draft right.
That approach fits a team that finished the regular season strong. After the All-Star break, the Hawks went 20-6 and posted one of the league’s best net ratings in that stretch. Their playoff run ended in six games against the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks, but Atlanta was the only team to take more than one game from them in a series.
Among the Hawks’ moves, the one that stands out as the best is the addition of Ajay Mitchell. The deal was completed more than two weeks ago, just before the NBA Draft, but it was not officially announced until yesterday, once the league’s moratorium ended.
Atlanta noticed that the Oklahoma City Thunder were in a financial crunch and moved quickly to take advantage. Mitchell has improved every season since being drafted in 2021, and he played an important role off the bench during Oklahoma City’s 2025 title run.
That matters for a Hawks team whose bench was a weakness for most of the season, even after the All-Star break. Mitchell gives Atlanta defensive versatility and real value as a three-point shooter.
In 339 career games with Oklahoma City, including 100 starts, Mitchell averaged 8.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 20.3 minutes per game while shooting 48.7% from the field, 38% from three and 78.4% from the line. That 38% mark from deep is the eighth-best among active second-round picks and the fourth-best in his draft class.
For two second-round picks, that is a strong get. Mitchell also fits Atlanta’s timeline, and while he may not be a Most Improved Player winner, the Hawks clearly believe there is another level he can reach with them. Atlanta already became the first team in NBA history to produce back-to-back Most Improved Player winners.
The move that still doesn’t quite make sense is the decision to guarantee Buddy Hield’s contract for next season. This is not about questioning Hield’s value as a player or a locker-room presence. He was a good veteran for a young Hawks team, and he can still help an NBA roster.
But at nearly $10 million, the choice to guarantee the deal instead of waiving him and saving $6 million is hard to square, especially since Hield was never part of Atlanta’s main rotation.
Hield arrived in Atlanta with Jonanthan Kuminga at the trade deadline, and when the move first happened, it looked like the Hawks might already have a trade lined up involving his contract. That never happened, and he remains on the roster.
Atlanta now has 16 players on standard contracts for next season, so one more move will be needed before training camp to get down to 15. The Hawks could still keep Hield as a veteran shooter and presence if they want, and they could also trade him later. For now, though, it is still a puzzling call to commit that money and keep the roster spot tied up.
In Other News...
Hawks Suddenly Hold Real Leverage In Growing Jonathan Kuminga Trade Talks
The Jonathan Kuminga sweepstakes have started to get more interesting for Atlanta, even if the Hawks are not yet the obvious landing spot. The Lakers are reportedly exploring a sign-and-trade for the Warriors forward, with Dalton Knecht mentioned as part of the conversation, and Atlanta could wind up involved if the deal turns into a broader three-team framework. For a Hawks front office that has been willing to stay active around the margins, that at least creates the possibility of turning a star-chasing negotiation into something that benefits their own roster-building plans.
Nothing is close to being finalized, and the whole situation still sits in the speculative stage, but the Hawks suddenly have a seat near the center of the table. Lakers executive Rob Pelinka has already been in contact with Kumingas agent, and Los Angeles has enough contracts and draft capital to keep working different angles. If Atlanta is going to facilitate anything, it will need to make sense on its own terms, which is where the real leverage comes in. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Offseason Winners And Losers Just Sparked A Bigger Debate
Atlantas offseason has already given Onsi Saleh a pretty clear footprint, with the Hawks keeping CJ McCollum, Jock Landale and Mouhamed Gueye in place while also bringing in Aaron Wiggins and Devin Carter and adding Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar in the draft. It is the kind of roster churn that invites instant grading, especially in a market that is always trying to figure out whether the front office is building for now, for later, or a little of both.
Kris Risacher is still on the roster despite the trade chatter that swirled around him, and the new mix around him could end up mattering more than any single move. The bigger question now is whether Atlanta has actually created the kind of environment that helps him settle in and grow, or whether the Hawks are still one unresolved roster decision away from changing the whole conversation again. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks May Be Watching One Last Impact Move Slip Away
The Hawks have been linked to Trey Murphy III as they continue searching for ways to add another impact piece around their core, but the path to getting him looks increasingly narrow. New Orleans has every reason to value a versatile wing like Murphy, and Atlantas interest has run into the kind of trade market reality that usually slows these conversations before they get serious.
Murphys price tag is part of the problem, and the Pelicans front office is also operating with an eye on future assets and flexibility. If New Orleans keeps leaning in that direction, Atlanta may simply have to move on and look for a more realistic upgrade elsewhere, even if Murphy had been the type of swing worth monitoring. [Read more 🡒]