The Atlanta Hawks emerged from the 2025 NBA Draft with a clear need for a backup point guard. While Nickeil Alexander-Walker is not a perfect option, he could be an ideal fit with what the Hawks have and need. More importantly, he appears one step closer to hitting free agency.
Alexander-Walker’s current team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, re-signed 2023-24 Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid to a five-year, $125 million contract on June 27.
That deal is expected to put a squeeze on Minnesota that could benefit Atlanta.
“Naz Reid's raise makes keeping both Julius Randle and Nickeil Alexander-Walker costly without reducing payroll,” NBA cap analyst Yossi Gozlan posted on X on June 26. “For example, Randle opting in and Alexander-Walker re-signing for $14.1 million (mid-level) puts the Wolves over the second apron and increases tax by $65 million.”
For whatever it is worth, Alexander-Walker spoke candidly about being open to a return to the Timberwolves this offseason.
“I’ll never burn a bridge. And for me to have this opportunity, and I love Minnesota, what the fans have been to me, what the team has been to me,” Alexander-Walker told reporters in May. “This is the only place I’ve had a real opportunity to play and be the best version of myself. So, I’ll definitely say, ‘Yes’ [there is a path to returning]. There’s no way that I’m going to go into the offseason and X out Minnesota. That’d be crazy.”
It could be a simple matter of economics, though.
Aside from Reid’s deal, the Timberwolves spent a first-round pick on Rob Dillingham, have fellow second-year man Terrance Shannon Jr. ready to take on a bigger role, and veteran Donte DiVincenzo ahead of him at the 2-guard spot.
The Hawks can also up the ante and make use of their $25.3 million traded player exception as a trump card.
They are said to be eager to make use of it, though Alexander-Walker would not command it all.
Hawks have options, but Nickeil Alexander-Walker stands out
That begs the question of whether the Hawks would be better off using a portion of that to acquire a player like Alexander-Walker and then using their non-taxpayer mid-level exception to bring back Caris LeVert, or bringing in the former on the NTMLE and using the TPE on someone else.
All of that flexibility is why the Hawks remain a team to watch heading into the heart of the offseason, even after they have already done plenty of strong wheeling and dealing so far in trade market and draft.
The Hawks acquired Kristaps Porzingis in one trade and then secured a potential lottery pick in 2026 to move back 10 spots in 2025, while still landing an intriguing prospect in Asa Newell.
Backup point guard is easily the most precarious spot on the Hawks’ roster.
Whether they target Alexander-Walker or someone else, they would be wise to address it rather than potentially running it back with oft-injured former first-round pick, Kobe Bufkin. The No. 15 overall pick in that class, Bufkin, has appeared in 27 games with the Hawks.