Two Ways The Atlanta Hawks Can Benefit From The Cavaliers Being Swept By New York

The Cavaliers went down in a sweep against the New York Knicks and there are questions surrounding their future

May 25, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots in the first quarter against the New York Knicks during game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers met the same fate in the postseason, but in different rounds.

Atlanta was the first team to run into the buzzsaw that is the New York Knicks, and the Hawks can say that they were the only team in the Eastern Conference to beat the Knicks. It seems hard to remember now because the Knicks have turned into a runaway freight train, but the Hawks had the Knicks down 2-1 in the first round and had all the momentum in the series after some CJ McCollum heroics and Dyson Daniels being a menacing defender.

Kudos to the Cavaliers for making the conference finals, an accomplishment that should not just be tossed aside, but they were even less competitive against the Knicks than Atlanta was, and despite making it to second to last round of the playoffs, this is another playoff exit for Cleveland, and with the most expensive roster in the NBA, that is not a good outcome.

So how could the Hawks benefit from another playoff exit from the Cavaliers?

Could Atlanta make a move?

May 25, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) moves the ball while defended by New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) in the first quarter during game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

Cleveland is going to have some decisions to make with their roster. James Harden has a $42.3 million player option for next season, but could opt out to sign a longer term deal. Donovan Mitchell is eligible for a four year, $272 million extension in July and has one more guaranteed season on his current contract before a player option for 2027-2028. Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, and Sam Merrill are all locked in while Max Strus is on an expiring contract next season.

The Cavaliers could decide to run it back and after last night's loss, but they also become a candidate to blow things up and make big changes to their roster this offseason. That is where the Hawks come in.

If Mitchell does not sign his extension this summer, it is very possible that he will be traded, and a team that is going to be brought up is the Hawks. Atlanta needs a shot maker of Mitchell's caliber, and that was shown in the loss to the Knicks, when Atlanta had one of the worst offenses in the playoffs. The half-court offense slowed to a halt when they could not get Jalen Johnson and the others out in transition. Mitchell would fix that, and remember, he started his career in Utah, where the current Atlanta Hawks coach, Quin Snyder, was coaching him.

Now, the Hawks have maintained that they are going to focus on developing through the draft and improving internally, but if an All-NBA player like Mitchell is available and one that fits a huge need on your roster, you have to explore it. General manager Onsi Saleh is always going to be looking for the right deal to improve his roster and for the right price, I think the Hawks would be very interested in Mitchell if he is moved.

If Cleveland really wants to reset things and make wholesale changes to their roster, would Evan Mobley be available? Mobley is one of the elite defenders in the NBA and is only 24 years old. He would lift the Hawks defense in a massive way, but he is the player on the Cavaliers that would cost the most in a trade. He is young, versatile, locked up on a contract, and elite at one end of the floor. Saleh has maintained that the Hawks are not one player away and in a world in which Mobley is even available, it would cost the Hawks their best assets and then some.

What about Jarrett Allen? The Hawks are looking for a center to pair with Onyeka Okongwu and Allen has been one of the league's best. His offensive game and inability to stretch the floor would make things complicated fit wise with Dyson Daniels, not to mention that his contract only goes up and he is owed $90,720,000 over the next three seasons. Perhaps the Cavs try to move Allen to make room for LeBron James if he wants to return for one more season and the Hawks could find an advantageous deal to get Allen.

The role players would be of some interest to the Hawks as well. If Cleveland is looking to shed salary to get out of the second apron, they could be looking to move someone like Sam Merrill, who is one of the best shooters in the NBA. The Hawks are looking to improve its bench and shooting and Merrill fits that bill.

What if Atlanta does not make a move?

Apr 28, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder coaches against the New York Knicks during the second quarter of game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Let's say Cleveland decides to make major changes to its roster and move some of these players, but the Hawks elect to sit back and not get in on the action.

I think they can still be winners in that scenario.

The Eastern Conference is better than given credit for, but there is not a lot of certainty as to how the teams are going to stack up heading into next season. If Cleveland decides to drastically alter their roster and start rebuilding or at least reset things, that is one less team that the Hawks are going to have to worry about next season.

Even if Atlanta does not make a big move this offseason, they are still hoping to build off what was a promising finish to the season. After the All-Star Break, Atlanta went 20-6 and had one of the best net ratings in the NBA.

They have a young, affordable core of Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Onyeka Okongwu, plus the No. 8 pick in this year's draft. It is not a perfect roster, as the Knicks showed, but it is an encouraging one, and even if the plan is to bring back CJ McCollum and Jonathan Kuminga, use their mid-level exception, and use their two draft picks in June (one of which is from Cleveland), the Hawks should be in the mix next season in the Eastern Conference.

Atlanta is armed with a lot of optionality this summer and the Cavaliers losing in embarrassing fashion could improve the Hawks position in the Eastern Conference if Cleveland decides to make changes.