Perhaps buried under speculation about Trae Young’s future with the organization, the Atlanta Hawks have several items to address this offseason.
That includes the futures of veterans and pending free agents Caris LeVert and Larry Nance Jr.
“Before the departure of Landry Fields, the expectation was Clint Capela would likely move on this summer in free agency, and the organization wanted to re-sign Caris LeVert and Larry Nance Jr.,” HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto wrote on May 14.
“After a decision on a potential president, the organization can move forward with its roster decisions.”
Scotto’s final line is critical to the rest of the discussion.
The Hawks acquired Nance as part of the trade that sent Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2024 offseason. They landed LeVert in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers before the 2025 deadline.
Nance took some time, but he eventually proved an effective contributor. Injuries prevented him from truly establishing himself on the court with the Hawks.
LeVert was the Hawks’ de facto sixth man following his arrival.
Hawks front office decision looming large over offseason
The latter has already said he would like to return, which could make for smoother negotiations, though things can change once dollars are discussed. He has an extensive injury history, which both sides must take into consideration.
“We’ll see. I love this situation that I’m in right now. I love this team,” LeVert told Scotto in an interview published in March. “The staff has welcomed me with open arms. I didn’t really know Quin (Snyder) previously before coming here. Obviously, I’ve admired his style from afar for a long time. Antonio (Lang), Ekpe Udoh, and Ron Nored on the staff I’ve had relationships with, so I feel pretty comfortable here. Like I always tell them, I’d love to re-sign here. My focus right now is the rest of the season and making the playoffs. It’s definitely something I’d want.”
Nance’s future is far less certain. He acknowledged not having any connections to Atlanta when he arrived, aside from Dyson Daniels, his teammate in New Orleans.
His name also came up in trade speculation before the 2025 deadline.
Of course, the Hawks are unlikely to do anything before finalizing who their next president of basketball operations will be. They have already interviewed several candidates and have a specific vision for how they want it to play out, though they have been unsuccessful so far.