The Atlanta Hawks offseason has put them in an enviable position

The Atlanta Hawks finally traded John Collins this off-season. I was not for a great return but that is what is going to happen when a team is dumping salary. However, the moves that the Hawks made put them in a really solid position moving forward.

To summarize their moves, the Hawks traded Collins for Rudy Gay and two future second-round picks. They were also part of a five-team trade that sent Alpha Kaba out for Usman Garuba and TyTy Washington. The Hawks then flipped all of these players to the OKC Thunder for Patty Mills who is a veteran and a proven winner who can help the second unit.

The Hawks also drafted Kobe Bufkin and Seth Lundy while trading for Mouhamed Gueye on draft night. Despite some solid play in Summer League, the Hawks moved on from Tyrese Martin. They also signed Miles Norris to a two-way deal as well as signing veteran Wesley Matthews to a one-year contract.

The most significant move the Atlanta Hawks made over the offseason.

The most significant move that the Hawks made over the offseason was to re-sign Dejounte Murray to a four-year deal. While he struggled to fit in last season, surprisingly on the defensive end, Murray is an All-Star level player. He is going to get back to the level of play he displayed while playing for the San Antonio Spurs, it is just a matter of time.

The Hawks showed that they were not able to compete for the last couple of seasons with John Collins as the starting power forward. With Quin Snyder at the helm, there is a good chance that the renewed Hawks roster can at least get out of the first round of the playoffs.

However, if that does not happen, then the Hawks have now got wiggle room in that Onyeka Okongwu, Saddiq Bey, and Patty Mills all have expiring deals. This means that if there is nothing happening for the Hawks prior to the trade deadline they can shed some assets for the right player.

However, if the Hawks are going well then they can offer Bey and/or Okongwu extensions under the new CBA. The Hawks also have their own 2024 first-round draft pick and the Sacramento Kings 2024 first-round pick which is top-14 protected. This is a tremendous place to be for a team that is hoping to contend next season.

All of this was made possible by the Collins trade. If his salary was still on the books then Murray most likely would not get his extension. The Hawks would have been stuck for the next four seasons with a player who would not be able to get them over the hump. Now the Hawks have a level of flexibility in the upcoming seasons if they need it.

Part of this flexibility is that Clint Capela is also starting his two-year extension next season. This means that if the Hawks need to, it is easier to trade Capela who has the potential to be a desired big around the league.

While the Hawks are pursuing Pascal Siakam, this potential deal may not happen. This means that the front office may have completed their moves for the offseason and now it is up to the players to see how far the Atlanta Hawks can make it this season.