Why the Hawks Patient Approach In Free Agency Is Setting Them Up for Big Moves In The Future

Why the Hawks Patient Approach In Free Agency Is Setting Them Up for Big Moves In The Future

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The Atlanta Hawks were one of the stories of the NBA after the All-Star Break. Atlanta finished the year 20-6, rising to 6th place in the Eastern Conference, and becoming the only team to beat the New York Knicks multiple times in a playoff series. They are one of the youngest teams in the NBA, and President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh and the Hawks have been preaching patience instead of trying to accelerate the building of this team:

"Like we said before, no skipping steps. We want to grow this thing out organically. I just feel like we're going to add two really good players tomorrow in the draft. And we have a lot of opportunities to move forward with this group.

We don't want to be that team that skips steps, and we want to be sustainable. It's everything I've been saying. You guys are probably sick of me saying that, but that's just the truth. We really like where we're at as a team, where we're going, and really young still. We're about to get younger. But we're really excited about this draft class and the opportunities that are before us. And yeah, can't really say too much else."

To their credit, Atlanta has stuck to that approach, at least so far.

Saleh has previously talked about how the version of the team that played so well at the end of the year barely got a change to play together, but Atlanta is going to see if there is something there or if they just got lightning in a bottle against a fairly easy schedule.

The patient approach has seen the Hawks:

• Re-sign CJ McCollum to a one-year, $21 million deal
• Trade two second-round picks for Aaron Wiggins
• Draft Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor, and Henri Veesaar
• Pick up the $2.4 million team option for Mouhamed Gueye
• Guarantee Buddy Hield's $9,658,536 contract for this season
• Acquire Devin Carter and a future second-round pick from Sacramento
• Re-sign Jock Landale to a one-year, $14 million deal

Atlanta did decline Jonathan Kuminga's $24.3 million team option, but there is still a chance that he is brought back, though the Hawks would need to make some roster space for that to happen. Landale, McCollum, and Hield are coming back it appears. Atlanta is not only hoping that the chemistry those three players built last season with the core of the Hawks roster is there, but that the rookies, Carter, and Wiggins can give them more legitimate depth and help round out their team.

While one could argue that this approach might not be a smart move with so many teams in the Eastern Conference appearing to get better, I think that Atlanta is potentially setting up for something bigger down the road.

Will their patience be rewarded?

The Hawks have been linked to star players this offseason, namely Jaylen Brown, but moves like that go against what Saleh and Atlanta's front office have been preaching.

It is fair to point out that teams in the Eastern Conference around Atlanta have either gotten better or will be good without major moves.

1. The Knicks are bringing their core back together and are the defending champs
2. Boston still has Jayson Tatum and might keep Brown
3. Toronto just replaced Brandon Ingram with Kawhi Leonard
4. Indiana is going to get Tyrese Haliburton back, as well as Ivica Zubac
5. Miami acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo
6. Cleveland, Detroit, Orlando, and Philadelphia will still have pathways to being formidable with some improvements.

That does not mean that Atlanta won't finish as a top-six team in the Eastern Conference and the Hawks might not be done making moves (they are currently at 16 players on their roster, not including two-ways), but it is not going to be easy.

But when you look at the Hawks, the might be biding their time to make bigger moves when the time is right.

The common theme for the Hawks this offseason has been one-year deals. McCollum is on an expiring contract, as is Jock Landale, both combining for $36 million. Zaccharie Risacher and Devin Carter have team options for 2027-2028 that have to be decided on by October 31st, and if Atlanta declines both of them, those two players would turn into expiring contracts. Asa Newell also has a team option for next season, but it would be pretty shocking to see the Hawks decline that before he heads into his second season.

Buddy Hield has a player option for a little over $10 million next season as well.

Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Onyeka Okongwu, Corey Kispert, Kingston Flemings, and Zuby Ejiofor are the only guaranteed contracts for next season right now.

So Atlanta could have two options ahead of them: They could decline those team options on Risacher and Carter, giving them six valuable expiring contracts that add up to over $60 million. If a star player were to become available at the trade deadline or in-season, Atlanta could be primed to make a play for them with the expiring money they can throw out there, plus their draft capital they still have.

If not that, Atlanta could let the contracts of McCollum, Landale, Risacher, Carter, and Mouhamed Gueye expire and the Hawks could have significant cap space next summer. Now, most NBA fans realize by this point that marquee players don't enter free agency much anymore, but cap space can be used in a number of ways, either to make plays for restricted free agents or to make trades.

Saleh preaches optionality and being opportunistic and the Hawks could be playing the long-game here. They have a chance to see the internal development players like Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Onyeka Okongwu make next season, as well as the rookies and new acquisitions make this season and then see what they need to change, if anything.

Atlanta has been patient and relatively quite this offseason, but they are still set up to take a chance and make a big move during the season or have loads of space next offseason and that should not go unnoticed.

Jackson Caudell has been a publisher at the On SI network for four years and has extensive knowledge covering college athletics and the NBA. Jackson is also the co-host of the Bleav in Georgia Tech podcast, and he loves to bring thoughtful analysis and comprehensive coverage to everything that he does. Find him on X @jacksoncaudell