Atlanta Hawks Salary Cap Breakdown: Payroll, Tax Position and Future Flexibility

The Atlanta Hawks still have moves to make when it comes to roster flexibility, as they have 17 players currently on their roster, and that number has to come down to at least 15 before the regular season begins.

But regardless of how the Hawks cut down their roster, they are an in enviable posititon when it comes to financial flexibility and roster flexibility.

Hawks Current Financial Picture

Current total salaries: $197,180,886 (17 players)

Luxury Tax Space: $3,819,114
1st Apron Space: $11,556,747
2nd Apron Space: $24,227,747

Atlanta is currently hard-capped at the first apron. Another thing to keep in mind is that the Hawks have never paid the luxury tax under Tony Ressler's ownership. Given their current roster crunch situation, expect the numbers above to increase as the Hawks trim down their numbers.

Player	2026-2027 Salary
Jalen Johnson	$30,000,000
Dyson Daniels	$25,000,000
CJ McCollum	$21,000,000
Luguentz Dort	$17,722,222
Onyeka Okongwu	$16,100,000
Nickeil Alexander-Walker	$14,403,710
Jock Landale	$14,100,000
Corey Kispert	$13,975,000
Buddy Hield	$9,658,536
Aaron Wiggins	$9,028,038
Kingston Flemings	$7,348,680
Devin Carter	$5,158,080
Zuby Ejiofor	$3,453,360
Asa Newell	$3,399,480
Mouhamed Gueye	$2,406,205 (non-guaranteed)
Ryan Nembhard	$2,150,917
Henri Veesaar	$1,357,763
Jalen Wilson	Two-Way
KeShon Gilbert	Two-Way
RayJ Dennis	Two-Day

Future Flexibility

The Hawks are in one of the best positions in the entire NBA when it comes to the future flexibility and optionality.

One thing you will notice if you have been paying attention to Atlanta's offseason is that the Hawks could have a lot of money come off of their books and they still have some of the best contracts in the entire NBA on their team.

CJ McCollum ($21 million), Lu Dort ($17.7 million), Jock Landale ($14 million), Mouhamed Gueye ($2.4 million), and Ryan Nembhard ($2.1 million) are all expiring numbers and if the Hawks decline Devin Carter's team option for next season, he turns into a $5.1 million expiring deal. Buddy Hield's contract is only guaranteed for $3.1 million next season if he is waived before or on the first day after the 2027 NBA Draft.

Atlanta could have a large number of cap space next offseason, which they could use to puruse free agents or they could use it to take a large salary into their cap space via trade. That is if the Hawks let all of these contracts expire.

Another thing the Hawks could do is make a big move at the trade deadline with all of these expiring deals. With over $60 million in expiring deals, the Hawks could match a large salary if a star player were to become available.

That does not mean that they will, but the Hawks have set themselves up to be a big time player when the next star talent becomes available. Atlanta resisted the urge to go after big trades this offseason and opted to draft three rookies and make trades to improve the depth, as well as bring back McCollum and Landale from last season's team.

The Hawks will have their "core four" of Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Onyeka Okongwu all on contracts, with Johnson, Daniels, and NAW all having at least two more seasons on their current deals. Couple that with No. 8 overall pick Kingston Flemings starting his rookie deal and Aaron Wiggins being on a descending contract with a team option, the Hawks have a very favorable situation for a star free agent to want to come to Atlanta, if there are any high-level free agents.

Which NBA team is in the best position moving forward can be debated, but the Hawks belong in that discussion. They have crafted a good team with flexibility to get better.

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