The Atlanta Hawks may have had their “toughest” decision of free agency made for them, and it might not be the worst thing that could happen for them. General manager Landry Fields and promote Onsi Saleh, they will hire a new president of basketball operations.
That person has a host of roster decisions to make.
“One of the first choices will be whether to retain Clint Capela. His game and durability have declined with age, and Onyeka Okongwu may be ready to step in as the full-time starter. If Capela isn't back, what's the Hawks' path at that position?” Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus wrote on April 29.
“Atlanta historically hasn’t paid the luxury tax, so it must resolve Caris LeVert’s free agency as well. LeVert, a scoring wing off the bench, is roughly the same age as Capela.”
Capela, who turns 31 in May, averaged 8.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 2024-25.
The points and boards were his fewest since at least the 2016-17 season, and he came off the bench consistently for the first time since 2015-16. Capela is on an expiring two-year, $46 million contract.
Capela dealt with injuries, a persistent theme of his tenure. There was some hope he would be able to return to action before the campaign ended.
He never seemed close to returning, though, and may have already checked out.
“After being benched in favor of Onyeka Okongwu and dangled in trade talks before the deadline, the early expectation is Hawks center Clint Capela will sign elsewhere in unrestricted free agency this summer,” HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto wrote on March 28.
The Hawks should be able to retain him. Pincus notes they are projected to come in roughly $37 million below the luxury tax threshold.
Pincus also projects a salary “closer to a $14 million starting salary” if Capela returns.
The Hawks have several other players to address, including trade pickups Caris LeVert (deadline) and Larry Nance Jr. (offseason), who ended up missing most of the season with injuries and had to wait to earn a role to begin the campaign.
Pincus also listed swingman Garrison Mathews among the candidates for tough decisions, but his role diminished greatly this season, and he will likely be able to explore his market.
The Hawks also have several players who are under contract to address.
Most notably, Trae Young and Dyson Daniels are both extension-eligible this offseason. The Hawks must also decide how committed they are to veterans Georges Niang and Terance Mann, both of whom are under contract through next season.
If the Hawks made a mistake with Capela – perhaps outside of how the role change was handled – it was failing to move him at the trade deadline.
Now, they risk losing him for nothing, barring an unlikely sign-and-trade.