Atlanta Hawks Waive Devin Carter: Why It Matters and What Comes Next

The Hawks have been in a roster crunch ever since trading for Luguentz Dort and Ryan Nembhard two months ago, but they have begun to solve that roster crunch today.

Earlier in the offseason, the Hawks acquired former lottery pick Devin Carter from the Sacramento Kings, along with a second-round pick. Today, Carter was waived, according to multiple reports, and the Hawks' roster will now be at 16, just one over the regular season limit.

The Atlanta Hawks are waiving former lottery pick Devin Carter, according to league sources.
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) September 11, 2026

Because his contract is guaranteed, Carter's $5,158,080 salary is still going to count against the Hawks books this season. Now with 16 players on their roster, the Hawks remain $3.8 million away from the luxury tax line, $11.5 million away from the first apron, and $24.2 million away from the second apron. Atlanta is hard-capped at the first apron this season.

It has been a bumpy NBA career so far for Carter. He has battled injuries during his first two seasons and has not developed an offensive game either. However, coming into the 2024 Draft, he was touted as a lottery pick because of his defensive ability, and he showed that at times.

Was this a good trade for the Hawks, even though Carter is never going to play a game for the Hawks? I think so because they did not give up anything in the trade and they got a second-round pick back. When you get two assets without giving up anything, that is a win-win.

For a couple of months now, it was assumed that the Hawks would move on from two of Corey Kispert, Buddy Hield, Mouhamed Gueye, Carter, or Nembhard. Now that they have moved on from Carter, there is still one more move to make, but what will it be?

Updated Roster outlook and what comes next

Here is how the Hawks roster/financial situation looks after waiving Carter:

1. Jalen Johnson-$30,000,000
2. Dyson Daniels- $25,000,000
3. CJ McCollum- $21,000,000
4. Luguentz Dort- $17,722,222
4. Onyeka Okongwu-$16,100,000
5. Nickeil Alexander-Walker- $14,403,710
6. Jock Landale- $14,000,000
7. Corey Kispert- $13,975,000
9. Buddy Hield- $9,658,536
10. Aaron Wiggins- $9,028,038
11. Kingston Flemings- $7,348,680
12. Zuby Ejiofor- $3,453,360
13. Asa Newell- $3,399,480
14. Mouhamed Gueye- $2,406,205
15. Ryan Nembhard- $2,150,917
16. Henri Veesaar-$1,357,763

The Hawks have to move at least one more player before the regular season begins. Kispert, Hield, Gueye, and Nembhard remain the candidates to not be on the roster.

Kispert is going to be the hardest to move, though he is likely the player Atlanta would like to move the most due to his questionable spot in the rotation and $13 million salary. Hield is an expiring contract of sorts, but still overpaid at $9.6 million, making him tough to move.

Gueye's contract is non-guaranteed and because of his injury that will keep him out possibly into the season, he is a candidate to be waived. Nembhard is owed $2.1 million this season, but is a restricted free agent next summer. Gueye is more proven, but will the Hawks want more guard depth?

As far as the roster goes, it was unclear what kind of role Carter was going to play even if he had made the team. CJ McCollum and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are the starters at guard while Kingston Flemings, Aaron Wiggins, Lu Dort, Buddy Hield (for now), and Nembhard are the depth pieces. Flemings and Nembhard are the only true point guards of this group while Wiggins and Dort are combo forwards/guards.

The Hawks still have another move to make before the season starts and there is only a couple of weeks left until training camp begins.

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