By: Will Barfield
After a fun late-season surge by the Atlanta Hawks which saw them go 20-6 after the All-Star break and lose to the eventual NBA Champions, the focus is now entirely on the offseason for the organization.
General manager Onsi Saleh, who was just recently promoted to the position in May of 2026, has a litany of decisions to make in his first full offseason with the team.
Will they re-sign CJ McCollum or is his asking price too steap?
Will they decline Jonathan Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option?
What will they decide to do with their two first-round draft picks?
Even after we begin to answer those questions there are current rumblings of a potential blockbuster trade involving Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, who is an Atlanta native himself and graduated from Wheeler High School.
Let’s dig in to what could be ahead for the team.
Jonathan Kuminga
According to the most recent update, Kevin Topley of NBC Sports reports the Hawks are predicted to decline Jonathan Kuminga’s 2026-27 player option. While they have until June 29 to make the decision, doing so would mean he ends up an unrestricted free agent.
After his February arrival via trade, Kuminga played a critical role on most winning nights. In 36 games with the Hawks, he averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3-point range.
Still, those numbers don’t necessarily scream the $24.3 million he was scheduled to receive. Especially when you factor in other costs, like McCollum’s potential contract and the #8 draft pick’s salary. They all add up quickly.
While the two sides are said to be working on an extension, there is no definitive sign on whether a deal will get done. If the Hawks do decide to exercise his 2026-27 team option, it is likely he could be used in a trade further down the road.
What will happen on draft night?
The Hawks currently hold the number 8 and 23 picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. What exactly the plan is heading towards draft night still remains mostly unclear. However, that is no reason to panic or worry.
According to The Athletic, the Jazz are “genuinely torn” about what to do with the #2 pick. Should the Hawks use their first round draft capital and a guy like Risacher to make a move?
Maybe they trade back with a team like the Thunder with two first-round picks sitting at number 12 and 17. Or maybe they decide to just stay put and take the best available at both of their current selections.
What they will do remains to be seen and it appears Onsi Saleh and the rest of the front office are keeping operations as secretive as possible, which is a great sign for the organization.
Will CJ McCollum have to find another home?
When the Hawks traded Trae Young to the Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert at the trade deadline, I don’t think Hawks fans expected McCollum to have as big an impact on the team as he did.
In 41 games played with the Hawks, he averaged 18.7 points, 4.1 assists, and 3 rebounds on 45.6% shooting and 35.6% from three point range. He will forever be remembered for his late-game heroics vs the Knicks.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Wednesday that the Hawks are hopeful they will re-sign McCollum with an expected contract of around $20 million per year for two years.
He will be turning 35 years old this year but showed at the end of last season that he still has something left in the tank to offer to a playoff team. A saavy veteran, McCollum has mentioned he is tired of making his family move to so many different cities.
Trade Rumors
- According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Hawks are one of the teams interested in trading for Celtics guard Jaylen Brown.
- Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reports that the Hawks are gauging Jonathan Kuminga’s value on the trade market ahead of the draft.
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