Onsi Saleh's Best Moves This Offseason Have Set The Atlanta Hawks Up For Bigger Things Down The Road

The Hawks are primed to be major players down the road when an star player becomes available for trade or in free agency

Sep 29, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mandatory Credit: Atlanta Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh poses for a photo during Media Day. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If there has been one theme for the Atlanta Hawks under the leadership of Onsi Saleh, now the President of Basketball Operations, it has been opportunistic.

The second apron is something that all NBA teams are scared of, even the defending champion New York Knicks, and when a team becomes too expensive, teams more or less have to give players away to get back to a better place financially. Look no further than what the Denver Nuggets did last night by executing a sign-and-trade involving Peyton Watson. Denver was scared of the tax bill that awaited them if they re-signed Watson and instead sent him to the Cavaliers.

Last offseason, Saleh was able to acquire Kristaps Porzingis from the Boston Celtics, who were in their own luxury tax/2nd apron mess. The move ultimately did not work, but it was a high ceiling move that cost the Hawks very little.

This offseason, Saleh struck again. The Oklahoma City Thunder were set to become the most expensive team in the NBA and needed to dump salary without taking anything back. Atlanta was able to acquire Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins from OKC for a handful of second round picks and both players will be big fixtures in Atlanta's lineup this season. An under the radar move for Atlanta was acquiring Devin Carter and a second-round pick from the Kings, who were bumping against the first apron.

Saleh is one of the most opportunistic executives in the NBA and he has made some moves this offseason that could make Atlanta major players for a star in a trade or in free agency next summer.

Collecting expiring contracts

Apr 30, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) shoots against the New York Knicks in the fourth quarter during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Atlanta has an impressive number of expring contracts that they could use at the trade deadline this February or let them expire and let the Hawks have major cap space next summer.

Atlanta brought back CJ McCollum ($21 million) and Jock Landale ($14 million) on one-year deals and then traded for Dort ($17.7 million). Those three players alone can get Atlanta to nearly $53 million in expiring deals, but it does not end there. If the Hawks decline the team option on Devin Carter's contract, he turns into a $5.1 million expiring contract. Mouhamed Gueye ($2.4 million) and Ryan Nembhard ($2.1 million) are also set to expire, though Nembhard would enter restricted free agency.

The next part is going to involve some luck. Right now there is not an obvious candidate when it comes to the next star player trade and elite players rarely hit free agency. Still, it was a smart way to organize things for Saleh and this front office and the next time a big-time player is available, Atlanta figures to be in the hunt.

Team friendly contracts

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 | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What makes the Hawks such an appealing destination for a star player is the fact that Jalen Johnson ($30 million), Dyson Daniels ($25 million), Onyeka Okongwu ($16.1 million), and Nickeil Alexander-Walker ($14.4 million) are all underpaid and are going to be making more on their next contract.

Saleh was able to get the contracts done for Daniels and NAW and the next order of business is going to be one for Okongwu and later Johnson. Not only that, but if Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor, Asa Newell, and/or Henri Veesaar outperform their rookie deals early on, it would make the Hawks a deeper team.

Patient on trades

Saleh repeatadly said heading into the offseason that Atlanta was going to be patient in building this team and they were not going to skip steps. You can't always take what executives say at face value of course, but Saleh had a plan and stuck to it.

Atlanta can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel after the disastrous Dejounte Murray and they have made out ok in the fallout, but they have to be careful before they make an all-in move like that again.