Atlanta Hawks President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh is not afraid to take advantage of another team's financial situation.
In fact, he has done this in back-to-back summers. The Boston Celtics found themselves staring the second apron in the face before trading Kristaps Porziņģis to Atlanta. The Oklahoma City Thunder were in the same situation before moving Lu Dort to the Hawks last month.
Saleh cleverly utilized this leverage in both trade negotiations to bring in proven NBA talent.
OKC needed financial flexibility- Onsi Saleh obliged
Dort was the longest-tenured Thunder player before they traded him to the Hawks in a three-team deal with the Dallas Mavericks.
He originally joined Oklahoma City as an undrafted prospect in 2019, but he quickly grew into a key piece. The 27-year-old started at least 69 games over the last four campaigns, making First Team All-Defense in 2024-25 and winning the NBA championship.
However, Dort's poor 2026 playoff struggles and the Thunder's deep guard room put general manager Sam Presti in a difficult financial spot this summer. Dort's contract expires after this season, and Cason Wallace, who is younger and has a higher offensive ceiling, is eligible for an extension.
Oklahoma City would have put itself in the second apron for the 2026-27 campaign if it had not moved Dort. This financial danger zone has heavy restrictions that limit team-building capability. Franchises in the second apron cannot aggregate salary to trade for a higher-paid player.
They also cannot sign free agents to the mid-level exception or trade their first-round pick seven years out, among other restrictions.
Saleh took advantage of the Thunder's situation and scooped up Dort. He comes to the Hawks with an opportunity for a fresh start, forming an elite defensive trio alongside Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The 6-foot-4 guard brings invaluable championship experience to this young, talented roster.
Second apron forced Celtics to break up their championship core
The Celtics won the NBA title in 2024. Two years later, Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday, and Jaylen Brown, three key starters on that squad, are gone. The harsh restrictions of the second apron make it tricky to build a consistent, championship-winning roster. The Celtics sent Porziņģis to Atlanta for this very reason.
The Hawks tried to pair Porziņģis with Young and Jalen Johnson, but he only played 17 games due to illness and Achilles tendinitis. Atlanta then traded the 7-foot-3 center to the Golden State Warriors for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield before the deadline last season.
On the surface, the initial Porziņģis deal looks like a flop, but the process and low-risk nature of the deal became Saleh's calling card.
If the Hawks find Dort does not fit their long-term vision as they did with Porziņģis, they free up money and a roster spot to go star hunting next summer. Dort's vacant spot or on-court production provides Atlanta value either way.
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