There's plenty of ways the Atlanta Hawks could attack this offseason following an embarrassing defeat to the New York Knicks. They'll look to improve their roster while staying true to their timeline, and according to recent reports, they may end up more aggressive than initially expected.
Sam Amick of The Athletic chimed in on a potential offseason target, highlighting Los Angeles' Austin Reaves as a name worth monitoring for Atlanta:
"Other teams that are known to have some interest in Reaves — like Utah and Atlanta, per league sources — would need to make roster moves to find the necessary space. League sources say winning will be a significant factor in Reaves’ thinking."
The Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks are teams with “known interest” in signing Austin Reaves, per @sam_amick
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) May 12, 2026
Austin Reaves is expected to command $40 million annually
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Reaves would be a seamless fit into what Atlanta's building
Something that stood out in their recent first-round series was their lack of shot-creation in the halfcourt. It hadn't been much of a problem in the regular season, but when defenses tightened, Atlanta's weaknesses were exposed.
Reaves, or any offensive engine of his caliber, wouldn't have much of a problem adjusting to this movement-focused Atlanta squad. He's proven to be a reliable, efficient scorer at each level, giving any team he goes to a much-needed boost on that end.
One issue, though, is what he can't do. Reaves is not a good defensive player. While his quality positional size gives him a bit of an advantage on that end as a lead guard, his specific defensive capabilities don't exactly align with what Atlanta seems to be building.
They could choose to go away from that, though. There's plenty of smoke regarding there interest in bringing back veteran CJ McCollum, who's smaller than Reaves and on a similar level defensively.
His potential price tag might limit any interest the Hawks have
The biggest hold-up on a potential Reaves deal is the money he's expected to receive. The only way to pry him from the Lakers is to offer him a price tag they're unable to reciprocate. Committing long-term to a defensive liability at $30-40 million annually doesn't seem like the direction General Manager Onsi Saleh wants to go.
Still, his ability to manipulate defenses and give his team an undeniable offensive advantage would make a deal worth it. Atlanta struggled badly in that department this postseason. They don't want that to ever happen again.
While this initial interest is likely exploratory, it means the Hawks are ready to do their due diligence on all potential targets. Even with his limitations, Reaves is a spectacular All-Star level player who would match their timeline and improve their outlook tremendously.
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