The Hawks quietest offseason decision might be their most important

For a team that did not make a star trade this offseason, the Atlanta Hawks were quite active and made moves to improve their team.

Atlanta came into the offseason banking on internal improvement from the young talent on their team, and they wanted to get younger and find pieces that fit on their timeline as a franchise. They drafted Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor, and Henri Veesaar, traded for Aaron Wiggins, Lu Dort, Ryan Nembhard, and Devin Carter, and re-signed CJ McCollum and Jock Landale. Atlanta still has to trim their roster down to 15 players, but their offseason has largely been settled.

But there is something the Hawks did this summer that fell through the cracks and makes them one of the most interesting teams to watch going forward.

Big Game Hunting?

Apr 30, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder on the sideline against the New York Knicks in the first 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

It is easy to focus on how moves made during a given offseason are going to affect a team's upcoming season. On the surface, McCollum and Landale being back will give the Hawks continuity and help continue the momentum that they started to build with their 20-6 close at the end of the season, Flemings, Ejiofor, and Veesaar give the Hawks a youthful injection of talent, and players like Dort and Wiggins are going to improve the team's depth and help them compete in the postseason. You can also make the argument that Atalnta sought to get tougher and more physical this offseason and you would be correct.

But the Hawks have not only set themselves up to be a strong team this year with the moves they have made, but they have set themselves up to be involved in the next star player trade or in free agency next summer.

Atlanta has made it a point to not take any long-term money back in trades and that was a big sticking point in a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade not getting done with the Los Angeles Lakers. Before Atlanta made any moves this summer, they already had their young core locked up for the next few years on favorable deals. Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker make less than $100 million combined and when you have good players such as those four on team-friendly deals, you have the ingredients to start getting the ability to go out and get a star player in a trade.

The Hawks intentionally made deals this offseason that does not hurt this financial freedom in the future. McCollum and Landale re-signed on just one-year deals, Dort is on an expiring contract, Nembhard is on an expiring contract, and players like Devin Carter and Buddy Hield can be moved on from as essentially expiring contracts.

The quiet decison to set the Hawks up to make a big move in the future is something that is not going to get noticed now, but when the next star player becomes available either by trade or in free agency, you are going to see the Hawks among the first teams mentioned for whoever that player is.

Does this guarantee the Hawks will land a superstar? Not at all, but the best thing that a front office can do in the NBA is set itself up to be in a position to make this kind of move. Atlanta has not taken on any long-term contracts that could affect their financial picture, and they have made smart, one-year deals that improve their team now, but keep their flexibility open for the future. That is why it is the most important decision the Hawks have made this summer and they are going to be a team to watch going forward.

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