Hawks' 2026 NBA Finals Odds Skyrocket After Nickeil Alexander-Walker Sign-And-Trade

The Atlanta Hawks are +12000 to win the NBA Finals after adding Nickeil Alexander-Walker in free agency.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker is heading to the Hawks, who are +12000 to win the NBA Finals in 2026. / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks' banner offseason continued on Monday night, as they reportedly agreed to a four-year, $62 million deal with Nickeil Alexander-Walker, in what is a sign-and-trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Hawks have a trade exception that they can absorb Alexander-Walker's deal into, adding to an already impressive group of wings with Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher and Jalen Johnson.

Free agent Nickeil Alexander-Walker has agreed to a four-year, $62 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks, plus a player option and trade kicker, sources tell ESPN. CAA Co-Heads of Basketball Aaron Mintz/Austin Brown and Steven Heumann reached the contract with the Hawks tonight. pic.twitter.com/G93cmxsHGo

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025

In exchange, Atlanta sent a second-round pick to the Timberwolves in exchange for Alexander-Walker's services. A pretty solid deal for a sign-and-trade.

The Hawks are sending a second-round pick and cash to the Timberwolves, source says. https://t.co/TUx8n5parM

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) July 1, 2025

The Hawks' odds to win the NBA Finals made a huge move at DraftKings, going from +12000 to +6000, and it's hard not to be intrigued about the team's offseason.

Not only did the Hawks pull off a draft-day trade to land an unprotected New Orleans (or Milwaukee) pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but it added Asa Newell in the 2025 NBA Draft and made a deal for former Boston big man Kristaps Porzingis.

In a weak Eastern Conference, the Hawks are starting to form one of the best cores in the league, and they now have two elite defensive wings in Alexander-Walker and Daniels to help protect Trae Young on that end of the floor.

The Hawks have worse odds than the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers while sitting in a tie with the Detroit Pistons. It's hard not to be intrigued by Atlanta's chances to make a jump in the Eastern Conference in the 2025-26 season.

During the 2024-25 season, NAW played a bench role in Minnesota and averaged 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from 3.

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