Hawks' next step is painfully obvious after Kobe Bufkin trade

The Hawks have given up on their 2023 first round selection. Kobe Bufkin is heading to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for cash considerations.

His two seasons with Atlanta were disappointing. He averaged 5.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists in only 27 total games played, shooting just 37.4% from the field and 22.0% from deep.

This may be an instance where a player just needed a fresh start. Regardless, the Hawks are now left with a major hole in their lineup. When Trae Young goes to the bench, who is going to lead the offense?

While Bufkin was not set to be in the immediate rotation at the start of next season, he was entering his third year in the NBA as one of only two traditional point guards on the 15-man roster.

Atlanta seemed comfortable with that idea. Going into the season, they were (and still are) set to roll out a handful of non-traditional lead ball-handlers in the second unit. The playmaking abilities of Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson in the starting lineup gave the front office the belief that they could take this risk.

The Hawks have many internal options to choose from if they elect not to bring any new facilitators in. Luke Kennard, the most realistic option, has an underrated feel for running an offense. He has been a capable lead-playmaker in Memphis' second unit for several seasons now while also being one of the most reliable three-point threats in the NBA.

If the "Point Kennard" minutes fail to produce quality offense, Atlanta may give Vit Krejci another shot at running the second unit. They tested it at the beginning of last season, and the results were poor. Since then, Krejci has matured as a player and become more careful with the ball. His minutes as Czechia's first option this summer could pay dividend at the start of the NBA season.

Atlanta needs to take advantage of this freed-up money.

Here is where the fun begins. In trading Bufkin for cash considerations, Atlanta opened up $4.5 million in additional cap space. They are now $7.7 million under the luxury tax and have the bi-annual exception ($5.1 million) available to use.

There are still a handful of impactful free agent guards remaining, with the most notable being Russell Westbrook. The 9-time NBA All-Star is coming off an underrated season with the Denver Nuggets.

Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.4 steals in under 28 minutes per night. He also shot 32.3% from deep, his highest percentage from beyond-the-arc since his MVP campaign in 2017.

The addition of Westbrook would give Atlanta the most elite bench in the NBA. While he is the marquee target, two under-the-radar free agent guards could be impactful for the Hawks in other ways.

Dennis Smith Jr. and Delon Wright would be cheaper, yet still effective options. Smith Jr. should still be in the league. He has not found an NBA home since his stint with the Brooklyn Nets in 2024, where he proved to be a more-than-capable on-ball defender.

Wright has system familiarity as he was a member of the Hawks in the 2021-22 season, quickly becoming a fan-favorite despite only being in Atlanta for one season. On the court, Wright looked great in minutes with and without Trae Young on the floor.

While there are some great free agents still available, Atlanta may choose to get active in the trade market to improve their second unit. Two names stand out from the rest as realistic options for the Hawks in their search for backcourt depth.

Tyler Kolek and Devin Carter would be low-risk, high reward trade candidates. Just a few days ago, Kris Pursiainen of Clutch Points chimed in on Kolek's situation with the New York Knicks:

"Jalen Brunson, Miles ‘Deuce' McBride, and new additions in Jordan Clarkson and Brogdon would give the team depth at guard. This could logjam incoming second-year guard Tyler Kolek behind the group of veteran ball handlers. Moving Kolek could afford the 24-year-old opportunity that he would not get in New York. At least one opposing team has demonstrated interest in Kolek this offseason, ClutchPoints also learned.”

The timing of that report to the Kobe Bufkin trade seems like more than just a coincidence. What if the Atlanta Hawks were the one team with interest in Kolek?

While the numbers were not all there during his rookie season, Kolek showed the right flashes to suggest that he could be an effective backup guard in the near future.

His situation with the Knicks sounds familiar to that of a young guard out West. Devin Carter of the Kings put up similar numbers in his rookie year but could also find himself out of their rotation next season.

With all of Sacramento's new guard acquisitions this offseason, he could find himself re-routed to a better situation. Carter would be a perfect fit due to his proven defensive ability and offensive potential that has yet to be unlocked.

There is always a scenario where Atlanta is comfortable enough to go into next season without adding another point guard. In that case, the remaining money could go to a veteran wing or big.

The top two remaining unrestricted free agents are Al Horford and Malik Beasley. While they do not fall into Atlanta's direct position of need, signing either of them with the $5.1 million bi-annual exception could make them the favorite to win the Eastern Conference.

Horford has been long linked to the Golden State Warriors, but with the Jonathan Kuminga situation still yet to be resolved, he might decide to look elsewhere. A one-year homecoming to win a ring where it all started could be a poetic finish to a legendary career.

As for Malik Beasley, adding another sharpshooter on the wing would be perfect. Last season, he shot a career-high 41.6% from deep on impressive volume. Atlanta added several of the league's most elite outside shooters this offseason, and bringing in Beasley would be the icing on the cake.

The Hawks are in a rare position of flexibility. There are so many ways that they could use this remaining money, all of which would be beneficial to a team striving for championship contention.

Kobe Bufkin has a golden opportunity to flourish in Brooklyn, while Atlanta now has the chance to add their long-awaited missing piece.