When a team makes a move, and another move, followed by another move, it's often difficult to pay the first one much mind. Sometimes, it ends up aging as the most important, and for the Atlanta Hawks, this could absolutely be the case.
The first trade of the NBA offseason, of course, was completed by none other than Onsi Saleh - the lead decision-maker for the Atlanta Hawks.
Who else better suited to kick things off? Just days before the 2026 NBA Draft, Saleh got the summer rolling by acquiring Aaron Wiggins from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for just two future second-round picks.
This type of low-risk, high-reward move should be talked about more
Atlanta gave up meaningless future draft capital for a player who was recently an important member of an NBA Champion's nightly rotation. Sounds like pretty good asset management.
It got lost in the discourse of the Dort-Risacher deal, and rightfully so, but it could have just as much of an impact on their immediate and future outlook, if not more.
Aaron Wiggins is a Swiss Army knife. He'll be in their second-unit to begin the season, but if there's ever a time where they need him to play amongst the starters, he can. At any position, really.
His role in Oklahoma City was to be the positionless contributor he still is today. He carved out a reputation around the league for being a relentless defender and incredible transition attacker. His skillset matches exactly what Atlanta's been trying to build for the past several years.
If the Hawks were to lose Jonathan Kuminga in free agency - which is appearing more likely by the day - Wiggins would step into his role as an energy guy off the bench. If he can replicate his impact, carrying over what he was consistently able to do with the Thunder, Atlanta will be in good hands.
A similar system with a familiar face should make the transition seamless
He'll have already-established chemistry with the recently-acquired Lu Dort, making their two-man game off the bench something to watch for as one of the Hawks' biggest potential advantages.
Every team needs a guy like Wiggins. And Dort, but his contributions are well-known in league circles. Wiggins being more of a hidden gem allowed Atlanta to acquire him for cheap.
If he's able to do what real fans know he can do, this pickup will age as one of the best of the summer, helping the Atlanta Hawks climb up the Eastern Conference standings.
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