Atlanta Hawks Offseason Priority List: Who’s Gone, Who’s Staying, and Who Could Be Added

How could the offseason play out for the Atlanta Hawks this summer?

Mar 1, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) dunks against the Portland Trail Blazers in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Buckle up for an interesting offseason from the Atlanta Hawks.

Atlanta has set themselves up nicely this summer with plenty of options to improve their roster. After going 20-6 after the All-Star break and taking the Knicks to six games in the first round, Onsi Saleh and the rest of the decision makers in the front office will see what they can do to take the next step as a franchise and make themselves into a real contender in the Eastern Conference.

When looking ahead to this offseason, who will remain with the Hawks, who will leave, and who could be added?

Whos' Gone?

Apr 18, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Gabe Vincent (4) looks on during the first half of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The following players are going to be unrestricted free agents this summer:

• CJ McCollum
• Gabe Vincent
• Jock Landale
• Tony Bradley

Keaton Wallace is going to be a restricted free agent, while Jonathan Kuminga ($24.3 million) and Mouhamed Gueye ($2,406, 205).

Buddy Hield's $9,658,536 salary for 2026-2027 becomes guaranteed on June

Of the unrestricted free agents, I would be surprised if either Vincent or Bradley is back in Atlanta next season. Bradley was signed very late in the season after Jock Landale was injured and he served as an emergency center with the Hawks so shorthanded at the position.

Vincent was a solid backup guard for the Hawks and was a good veteran presence, but his shooting was up and down, and he is not a good enough defender to really invest in. He could be a candidate to be brought back on the vet minimum, but he may have better options than that financially.

Whether or not Landale is brought back depends on what the Hawks do in free agency or the draft. Getting a center is one of the top things on the Hawks to do list this summer and they are going to have plenty of options to add someone. If Atlanta decides they are not going to trade for a center or sign one in free agency, they could draft one at No. 8 or No. 23 and bring Landale back as a cheap backup. He fit the Hawks playing style really well and he was missed in the postseason. He also could have other options.

McCollum was awesome for the Hawks after coming over from Washington and he was the Hawks go to option in the playoffs when they needed a bucket. However, he is 34 years old and the Hawks could look to upgrade his spot via a big name free agent (Austin Reaves?) or a trade? Atlanta needs to figure out what it is going to do long-term at the point guard spot and could bring McCollum back and draft one at either No. 8 or No. 23.

Kuminga has a $24.3 million team option for next season, and that might be the most intriguing decision the Hawks have to make this offseason. Atlanta could pick up his option and trade him; they could see how things play out on the expiring contract (he only played in 16 games for Atlanta after the trade), they could decline his option and extend him at a different number, or the least likely option, they decline the option and let him walk. The only way I envision the Hawks declining his option and letting him walk is if they have something lined up with a major free agent and need the space.

I think that Gueye is very likely to be back, either on his team option or an extended deal.

Looking at non free agent players who could be gone, I think that the Hawks will waive Hield unless they have a trade lined up that they need his salary for. He was well liked in the locker room and a good leader, but he was not a part of the Hawks rotation and at that salary, it would be a surprise if he is brought back. Like Vincent, he could be brought back on a vet minimum unless he has better options.

I think that the Hawks could look to move either Corey Kispert or Zaccharie Risacher. Kispert is owed over $40 million over the next three years and he was not an impactful addition when brought over from Washington. He struggled on defense and could not get his shot down enough to be needed in the lineup. He could be used as salary in a trade or the Hawks could try and salary dump him somewhere to get off of his contract.

Risacher had a disappointing second seaosn in the NBA and the Hawks will have to decide if they are going to pick up his $17,434,637 million team option for the 2027-2028 season by October. If the Hawks don't want to do that, it might be time to go in a different direction with the former No. 1 overall pick and let him start over somewhere else.

When the offseason concludes, I don't think Bradley, Vincent, Wallace, or Hield will be back and I think one or both of Kispert and Risacher will be gone.

I think it is very possible that Kuminga, Landale and McCollum are brought back in some capacity.

Who is Staying?

Apr 30, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) shoots against the New York Knicks in the third quarter during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Here are the seven players that have guaranteed contracts for next season in Atlanta:

• Jalen Johnson
• Dyson Daniels
• Onyeka Okongwu
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker
• Corey Kispert
• Zaccharie Risacher
• Asa Newell

I have already talked about Kispert and Risacher as candidates to be gone, but I would be pretty surprised if any of Johnson, Daniels, Okongwu, Alexander-Walker, or Newell was not back. Any of them could be used in a star player trade, but they are the core four players that I think the Hawks front office is looking to add to, not break apart.

Who could be added?

Apr 6, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) catches the ball against the UConn Huskies in the first half during the national championship of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The biggest holes the Hawks have on their roster are interior defense, rebounding, rim protection, and halfcourt scoring/shot making, as well as improving their benchTre. They are armed with flexibility this summer to take care of those holes and here are some draft, trade, and free agent targets for the roster:

Draft Targets (No. 8, No. 23, and No. 57)

• Keaton Wagler, Illinois guard
• Mikel Brown Jr, Louisville guard
• Kingston Flemings, Houston Guard
• Darius Acuff Jr, Arkansas Guard
• Aday Mara, Michigan center
• Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan forward
• Brayden Burries, Arizona guard
• Hannes Steinbach, Washington forward/center
• Labaron Philon, Alabama guard
• Allen Graves, Santa Clara forward
• Christian Anderson, Texas Tech guard
• Bennett Stirtz, Iowa guard
• Chris Cenac Jr, Houston center
• Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky center
• Isaiah Evans, Duke guard/forward
• Koa Peat, Arizona forward
• Ebuka Okorie, Stanford guard
• Meleek Thomas, Arkansas guard
• Henri Veesaar, North Carolina center
• Tarris Reed Jr, UConn center

Free agent targets

• Austin Reaves, Lakers guard
• Isaiah Hartenstein, Thunder center (team option for next season)
• Anfernee Simons, Bulls guard
• Norman Powell, Heat guard
• Coby White, Hornets guard
• Collin Sexton, Bulls guard
• Luguentz Dort, Thunder guard (team option for next season)
• Collin Gillespie, Suns guard
• Tim Hardaway Jr, Nuggets guard
• Tyus Jones, Nuggets guard
• Jusuf Nurkic, Jazz center
• Robert Williams III, Blazers center
• Mitchell Robinson, Knicks center
• Day'Ron Sharpe, Nets center (team option for next season)
• Nick Richards, Bulls center
• Mark Williams, Suns center (restricted free agent)
• Walker Kessler, Jazz center (restricted free agent)

Potential trade targets to watch

• Kyrie Irving, Mavericks guard
• Jaylen Brown, Celtics forward
• Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers guard
• Sam Merrill, Cavs guard
• Gradey Dick, Raptors guard
• Tre Jones, Bulls guard
• Jalen Smith, Bulls center
• Aaron Wiggins, Thunder forward
• Isaiah Joe, Thunder guard
• Jamal Murray, Nuggets guard
• Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves center
• Grayson Allen, Suns guard
• Khaman Maluach, Suns center
• Malik Monk, Kings guard