The Atlanta Hawks’ need for a backup point guard is all the rage following the 2025 NBA Draft, and their links to pending Minnesota Timberwolves free agent, Nickeil Alexander-Walker have only grown stronger.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on June 28 that the Hawks and Detroit Pistons were among the list of prospective suitors for Alexander-Walker.
One day later, his The Stein Line colleague, Marc Stein, framed Atlanta as a top suitor.
“Based on the Intel we've gathered, The Stein Line is being advised to describe the Pistons and Atlanta as the two strongest contenders to come to terms with two-way guard after free agency commences for real Monday night at 6 PM ET,” Stein wrote on June 29.
Alexander-Walker has been a popular speculative target for the Hawks heading into the offseason.
ESPN’s Chris Herring deemed it the “one move they should make.”
“Try their best to swing a deal to have Minnesota sign and trade free-agent wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker to Atlanta,” Herring wrote on June 29. “The financial questions facing Minnesota could allow the Hawks, who are beneath the cap and have a $13 million trade exception from when they sent Bogdan Bogdanovic to the Clippers, to swoop in and make a key acquisition. Alexander-Walker is precisely the sort of versatile player worth adding to their improved rotation.”
The Timberwolves have helped fuel speculation around Alexander-Walker’s future, first signing Naz Reid to a five-year, $125 million contract extension, and then inking Julius Randle to a three-year, $100 million pact.
The latter, in particular, seems to have sealed Alexander-Walker’s fate in Minnesota.
“This deal does mean that NAW will be headed elsewhere,” The Athletic’s John Krawczynski posted on X on June 29. “Wolves have people behind him ready for a shot and they’re going to get it.”
Hawks could have to use ace up sleeve to land Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Herring noted the Hawks’ TPE from sending Bogdanovic to LA, but they have an even larger exception – worth $25.3 million – from trading Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans.
That exception expires on July 7, one day after the moratorium on new business is lifted, which could be an impetus to use it first before turning to the smaller TPE, which expires in February 2026.
It could also be necessary if Alexander-Walker generates the interest his buzz suggests.
For the Hawks, the question would inevitably be just how far they are willing to go for a player who has flashed two-way ability but has also been somewhat inconsistent and bounced around.
He attributed the former potential red flag to the latter matter, saying that Minnesota gave him his first real opportunity to play his game. He could do the same with the Hawks, who lack a big enough threat behind Young to keep Alexander-Walker off the ball too often.
Former first-round pick Kobe Bufkin has not been healthy enough to warrant holding off on adding a player to the backcourt. Vit Krejci is a willing and capable ball-handler.
Neither is a true PG, and neither is Alexander-Walker.
Still, the Hawks’ not addressing the position in the draft would seem to indicate they indeed plan on adding via other methods this offseason. Whether that means with Alexander-Walker or someone else is up in the air. The fit for both sides seems obvious, though.