With the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves likely being the final two potential landing spots for Jonathan Kuminga, various sign-and-trade return packages to the Hawks are naturally being speculated more than ever.
The biggest assumption in direct regards to a deal between Atlanta and Los Angeles, for most of the offseason, has been that Jarred Vanderbilt - and the $12.4 million he's set to earn next season - would be heading to the Hawks.
In order to meet the contractual demands of Kuminga and his camp, it would be the most obvious path forward. Since Atlanta is now financially-restricted this late into the offseason, other names have begun emerging, including most recently - Jaden Hardy.
Including Hardy in next season's plans would be incredibly difficult
Spoiler alert: the Atlanta Hawks are not going to pay the luxury tax for the first time since 2012 this upcoming season.
Set to make just north of $6 million in the 2026-27 campaign, adding Hardy's contract into the fold would put Atlanta well over the tax line. As their finances currently stand, they're around $3 million under it.
Since Kuminga's off the books, it would be as if the Hawks went out and signed him in free agency, which is something they're simply unable to do.
Also, they're already at 17 rostered players. Before the upcoming season can begin, they'll need to get rid of two, no matter what. The addition of Hardy would put them at 18.
An ideal Kuminga sign-and-trade would involve a third or fourth team, ready to take on whatever additional salary Los Angeles plans on sending out. Again, it'll be difficult, as most rosters are nearing finalization this late into the summer.
They could go through with acquiring Hardy, and hopefully some draft capital, for Kuminga - but their next move would be painfully obvious.
Hawks could explore various ways to send Hardy elsewhere
That could come via expanding the deal into a multi-team framework, or simply just releasing the newly-acquired Hardy upon acquiring him.
At the very least, parting ways with him would put them back at 17 rostered players, but additional cost-cutting moves would likely be necessary.
Maybe there's an unexpected trade suitor for Buddy Hield or Corey Kispert - players set to earn a combined $22 million next season.
Hardy is a quality young player, but the current structure of Atlanta's roster, combined with obvious financial restrictions, would make keeping him after a Kuminga deal nearly impossible.
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