Atlanta Hawks Trade Candidates: Realistic Targets to Bolster Roster This Offseason

The Atlanta Hawks are going to be a busy team this offseason and one of the more interesting teams to watch.

After their great end to the regular season, which saw them finish 46-36, earn a first-round playoff berth, and take the Knicks to six games, the Hawks are going to have a string of decisions to make that will affect their team moving forward. CJ McCollum, Gabe Vincent, Jock Landale, and Tony Bradley are going to be unrestricted free agents, Buddy Hield's contract is partially guaranteed until June 25th, and there are team options for Jonathan Kuminga ($24 million) and Mouhamed Gueye ($2 million).

The Hawks could elect to run it back with some of these players and add others via trade or free agency or they could open up a lot of wiggle room in terms of space by not bringing any of them back.

The biggest needs for the Hawks heading into the offseason are size and depth in the frontcourt, playmaking guards who can help the Hawks halfcourt offense, and a deeper bench.

Now, it needs to be pointed out that Hawks GM Onsi Saleh said this at exit interviews last Friday:

"We are not one player away from this, the best iteration of this team is going to be through development and our players currently getting better. We're really excited about the future and what holds there, from the draft to the flexibility moving forward, all that stuff. We're in a good place, position set up moving forward, and our coaching staff has just been remarkable this year."

That does not mean that the Hawks won't look to potential trades to upgrade their roster at the right price though. Think back to the trade for Kristaps Porzingis. The Hawks sent Terance Mann and the No. 22 pick to the Nets in the deal and while Porzingis only played 17 games and was later traded to Golden State, it was a low risk, high reward move that saw them get rid of a bad contract.

Could more moves like that be in store? Let's break down some candidates.

Kyrie Irving

Dallas Mavericks Kyrie Irvin — Jan 28, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving looks on during the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Let's start off with a bit of a headliner.

I don't know how realistic this is and any potential trade candidates being listed here is speculative, but Irving would make some sense on the Hawks if Dallas were willing to move him.

For the right price, Irving would be a great addition for the Hawks. He has two years remaining on his deal and would be an upgrade over CJ McCollum. Irving did not play this season after an ACL tear towards the 2024-2025 season, but he is a dynamic ball handler who can still score at a high level and brings even more experience than McCollum had.

It would be a risky move, but if Dallas is looking to get younger around Cooper Flagg and their upcoming lottery pick, they might be a willing partner and it might not cost the Hawks all that much.

Jarrett Allen

Allen is currently coming off an awesome game seven performance against the Toronto Raptors and while including him here might be premature, it the Cavs exit the playoffs earlier than expected, they could make some big moves.

Allen would fix some of the Hawks size issues at center and create an interesting 1-2 tandem with Onyeka Okongwu, but I do have fit concerns. If Allen is starting, how will he and Dyson Daniels work together as two non-shooters on the floor? Daniels is an incredibly valuable player with one big limitation, but the Hawks can mask it somewhat with four good shooters around him, including Okongwu. Allen will also have three years left on his contract, which gets more expensive, and historically has struggled in the playoffs.

I don't think the Hawks would trade for Allen, but he is an option that could be available.

Jalen Smith

This would not be a sexy option by any means, but if the Hawks are looking for a solid value on an expiring contract, Smith is an option to backup Okongwu and Atlanta could use resources to strengthen their team elsewhere.

This past season, Smith played in 53 games for the Bulls and averaged 10.2 PPG and 6.7 RPG while shooting 37.2% from three on over four attempts per game.

This move should not cost much and Smith is an expiring contract.

Day'Ron Sharpe

Sharpe has been one of the most effective backup centers in the NBA and whether or not the Nets pick up his $6.2 million player option for next season, the Hawks could look to trade for him or just sign him as a free agent.

While not a shooter, he would give the Hawks a nice backup option behind Okongwu and come at a low cost.

Kevin Durant

Again, this is an out of the box idea and I think the Hawks would only do this if the price is right, but given Durant's age, I can't imagine the price would be too high for the Hawks.

Durant gives Atlanta that halfcourt scoring threat that they needed and has two years left on his contract, similar to Irving. If Atlanta could acquire him without giving up any of their major assets, it is worth a swing.

Steven Adams

Another Rockets player?

Adams signed an extension with the Rockets last summer, but suffered a season ending injury and it was a big loss for the Rockets given Adams elite rebounding ability. I don't think that the Rockets are going to be willing to move him, but after their early exit in the playoffs, don't rule anything out with this team. Adams would be a great backup to Okongwu and fix a lot of the Hawks issues on the glass.

Khaman Maluach

Would the Suns be willing to part with a center that they just selected with the No. 10 pick in the draft? Perhaps not, but this team has serious needs all over the roster and limited assets to acquire talent. If they sign Mark Williams to an extension, would they still want to have Maluach on the roster or use him as a trade chip to fill areas of their team?

There was reported interest from the Hawks in Maluach leading up to the draft process last summer and he would give Atlanta youth and size at the position. It would be a risky bet because he still lacks experience and is raw, but it might be worth a swing.

Kawhi Leonard

Another big name that could be gotten at a lower price than you think.

Leonard has one year left on his deal and has a lengthy injury history that has kept him from playing the majority of games. However, he was an elite player this season, putting up MVP type of numbers on a team that made a lot of changes during the year. Leonard is still a fantastic two-way player and should not cost the Hawks a lot of assets in a trade. Would they be willing make a very risky move if the price is right? He would fix some of their issues on both ends of the floor and raise their ceiling as a team.

Malik Monk

Monk would be a bench upgrade for the Hawks, giving them a scoring threat who is on a reasonable contract and a player who would not be expensive to obtain. The Kings are likely looking to move their veterans this offseason and of them, Monk fits the best for the Hawks.

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