Hawks Facing Pivotal Offseason With Trae Young’s Future In Focus

The Atlanta Hawks find themselves at a crossroads entering the offseason after finishing the season with a 40-42 record and failing to advance past the play-in tournament for a second consecutive year.

The team holds two first-round picks in the June NBA Draft — No. 14 (via Sacramento, pending protections) and one later in the first round (via the Los Angeles Lakers). Atlanta will forfeit the Sacramento pick to the Kings if it lands outside the top 13.

Among the team’s free agents are center Clint Capela, wings Garrison Mathews and Caris LeVert, forward Larry Nance Jr., and two-way players Keaton Wallace and Dominick Barlow.

Despite another early exit, Atlanta has shifted its focus to a long-term rebuild centered around youth, draft capital, and financial flexibility. Four of the Hawks’ five starters — Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher and Onyeka Okongwu — are 24 or younger and under team control or signed long term.

Daniels, acquired from New Orleans in the Dejounte Murray trade, emerged as one of the league’s top perimeter defenders, becoming the first player since Alvin Robertson in 1990-91 to average at least three steals per game. His defensive contributions helped lift Atlanta to 18th in defensive efficiency, their best finish since 2020-21.

Risacher, a 2024 lottery pick, finished second among all rookies in total points and averaged 14.7 points on 51% shooting, including 41% from three-point range after Jan. 30.

Johnson posted career highs across the board before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in January and became the first player in team history to average 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists through 30 games.

Still, the Hawks’ future may ultimately hinge on the direction they take with All-Star guard Trae Young, who is eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension. He could also become a free agent in 2026 if he declines a $49 million player option.

Young led the NBA in assists at 11.6 per game — the highest mark since Russell Westbrook in 2020-21 — but also topped the league with 355 turnovers and shot a career-low 53% at the rim.

General manager Landry Fields has emphasized a broader vision.

“Ultimately, it’s not about just one season,” Fields said in February. “We’re here to build a championship-caliber roster, not just for a single year, but for years to come.”

Financially, the Hawks have escaped the luxury tax crunch following trades involving Murray and De’Andre Hunter. They enter the offseason at the salary cap and have access to the $14.1 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception, the $5.1 million biannual exception, veteran minimum slots and four trade exceptions ranging from $3.5 million to $25.3 million.

Daniels is considered a top extension candidate. While unlikely to command a maximum contract like some of his 2022 draft classmates, he could be in line for a deal in the five-year, $170 million range after leading the NBA in combined steals and blocks. His 8.4-point scoring jump from last season was the league’s largest among qualified players.

Other extension-eligible players include Georges Niang, Mouhamed Gueye, and potentially Capela, Mathews and Nance before June 30.

On the court, Atlanta continues to struggle defending pick-and-roll actions. The team ranked 28th in points allowed per direct pick and last in on-ball screen defense, according to GeniusIQ.

The Hawks’ control over future first-round picks remains limited until 2028, though the franchise owns nine first-round selections through 2032. Notably, San Antonio owns Atlanta’s unprotected 2027 first-round pick and has swap rights in 2026. Atlanta also holds six second-round selections.

With promising youth, cap flexibility, and two incoming first-rounders, the Hawks’ trajectory appears upward — but only if the organization makes a definitive call on Young’s place in that future.