Insiders: Watch out for Hawks in possible Nickeil Alexander-Walker sign-and-trade

The NBA market is booming ahead of Wednesday's first round of the NBA draft.

May 10, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9) talks with the referee in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors during game three in the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Nickeil Alexander-Walker is set to become a free agent on July 6, but it sounds like the Atlanta Hawks would prefer to avoid getting into a bidding war for the Timberwolves guard.

"Word is that the Hawks, at roughly $30 million below the luxury-tax line, are expected to register interest in a sign-and-trade deal with Minnesota to try to acquire Nickeil Alexander-Walker — among various options that Atlanta is exploring with its trade and financial flexibility — in the event that the Timberwolves, in their quests to re-sign Julius Randle and Naz Reid, run out of the flexibility needed to re-sign Alexander-Walker," NBA insider Marc Stein reported via his Substack Tuesday night.

Stein's report follows information from Clutch Points' Brett Siegel, who said the Hawks are a team to keep an eye on in a possible sign-and-trade for Alexander-Walker. Siegel noted that Atlanta could use its "mass trade exception" to go after a player of Alexander-Walker's caliber.

The Hawks have a $25.3 million trade exception stemming from last season's Dejounte Murray trade. It essentially allows them to trade for a player making up to $25.3 million without being forced to match salaries.

Alexander-Walker's next contract will dwarf the $4.3 million he made this season with Minnesota, but how much beyond the estimated $14.1 million midlevel exception he could go remains to be seen.

Alexander-Walker was an elite 3-and-D guard off the bench for the Wolves. He shot 38.1% from three-point range on 4.5 attempts per game, and was especially deadly from the corners at 47.4%.