The Hawks have been among the league’s busiest teams this offseason, and while the brunt of the work may be complete, Onsi Saleh isn’t quite finished.
The situation surrounding Jonathan Kuminga remains very fluid, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. The bouncy wing remains open to returning to Atlanta, but after the addition of Lu Dort, there’s some uncertainty around how interested the Hawks are in adding another wing who’s going to want significant playing time.
That could result in Atlanta leaning toward a sign-and-trade to facilitate him going elsewhere. Though the two hinted that the front office appears “choosy” when it comes to those scenarios.
“Speaking of Kuminga …
He’ll need help from Atlanta on a sign-and-trade to come anywhere close to last season’s $22.5 million salary, but the latest indications we’ve received suggest that the Hawks are likely to be pretty choosy when it comes to sign-and-trade scenarios they’re willing to accept.
Kuminga, meanwhile, is said to be open to an Atlanta return on a short-term deal. The Hawks, though, appear pretty deep at the wing positions after their trade Sunday to acquire Lu Dort from Oklahoma City.”
Stein and Fischer then dove into something I discussed following the Hawks’ trade to acquire Lu Dort. The move gives Atlanta another elite perimeter defender to pair with Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. That’s a trio that’s going to absolutely bully teams throughout the regular season. The sheer intensity of the Hawks defense this upcoming season could push them toward 50+ wins, but the broader picture is even more encouraging.
Dort is entering the final year of a five-year, $82.5 million contract. The Hawks also spent most of their money in free agency on CJ McCollum and Jock Landale — two players who signed one-year deals for a combined $35 million. Atlanta is chock-full of expiring contracts that could be used to facilitate a trade for whatever star comes available next, whether that’s at this year’s trade deadline or next offseason.
“Multiple rival team executives have noted this week that the Hawks, after adding Dort, are flush with the sort of mid-tier salaries that could be easily packaged with draft capital to make a run at a star who becomes available via trade.
Maybe that happens between now and the February trade deadline. Or maybe it’s a matter for next summer, when the Hawks are projected to boast more than $40 million in cap space.”
The Hawks really like Dort, and an extension could be on the table down the line — but that doesn’t appear to be something that will happen immediately, as they want to keep as much financial flexibility as possible for whatever comes up as the season unfolds.
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