The Atlanta Hawks have made a bunch of moves this summer on the back of a pretty solid campaign last year. They traded for Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Devin Carter, and they drafted Kingston Flemings, too. They’re in a pretty good spot heading into next year, but before the season opens, they’ll have to make some roster cuts, as they have 17 guys on standard deals.
The most a team can have is 15. Right now, Atlanta has 20 players on its roster – 17 standard-contract players and three two-way guys. So, the Hawks are going to have to get rid of at least two players one way or another. Perhaps they will trade someone, or maybe they’ll just waive guys they don’t see a future with. Regardless, at least two players will have to go.
So, let’s take a look at the Hawks’ roster and see what’s going on. Here are the three Hawks players who seem like the most likely candidates to be ousted from the roster by Opening Night. They need to get rid of at least two.
3 Players Hawks are most likely to get rid of
1. Mouhamed Gueye
The Hawks have invested in Mouhamed Gueye. He’s been in Atlanta for the last three seasons, and though he’s shown plenty of potential on both ends of the court, the Hawks have some tough decisions to make.
Gueye is 24 years old. And even just last year, he appeared in 77 games for the Hawks. But Atlanta is clearly trying to make a push toward being a perennial playoff team, and Gueye may not be ready to play heavy minutes for a squad like that.
So, if the Hawks have no better option, then perhaps they could be forced to trade or release Gueye, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
2. Buddy Hield
Last season, the Hawks got Buddy Hield back as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade. The Golden State Warriors shipped Hield and Jonathan Kuminga to the Hawks in the deal.
Hield appeared in just seven games for the Hawks last year, as well as just two playoff games. But at the end of the day, he’s not exactly someone who seems like a long-term piece for Atlanta.
Throughout his career, Hield has been a great three-point shooter, but he’s not great on the defensive end of the court. Unloading the veteran shooter could be smart for the Hawks.
3. Corey Kispert
Similar to Hield, the Hawks got Corey Kispert back as part of a trade. He was an effective throw-in. Kispert joined Atlanta by way of the Trae Young deal, as he and CJ McCollum were traded by the Washington Wizards.
At his best, Kispert can be a solid 3-and-D option. Someone to knock down shots and help soak up pressure on the other end of the court.
His contract isn’t ideal. He’s still got three years left on his deal, including a team option for the 2028-29 campaign. Still, trading him may be in Atlanta’s best interest.
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