After an electric offseason filled with blockbuster trades and unexpected signings, the Atlanta Hawks will hit the court again in just a few days.
Despite their various moves to propel the team into contention, the front office still managed to prioritize flexibility, giving Hawks fans and analysts an interesting discussion topic heading into training camp.
The Hawks have two spots left. Everyone assumed they would head into the season with just one open roster spot, but on a quiet Monday afternoon, Atlanta dealt their third-year guard Kobe Bufkin to the Brooklyn Nets for cash considerations.
Who is going to fill the remaining roster spots?
While some have speculated that Atlanta may look to sign a polarizing backup guard like Russell Westbrook or Ben Simmons, the more realistic option is that they take a look at some of their internal options. Neither would be a bad bet.
Of all the internal candidates to fill Atlanta's final two roster spots, the most likely of the bunch would be the guys who are on two-way contracts: Keaton Wallace, Jacob Toppin and Eli Ndiaye.
Keaton Wallace has the most realistic shot. It was a bit of a surprise when the Hawks announced that they had signed him to a two-way contract. He showed he was capable of holding down a roster spot last season, when he averaged 5.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in limited minutes.
After trading away Kobe Bufkin, Atlanta may elect to call Wallace up, making this year's training camp crucial for him. A standout performance could go a long way.
His performance at the end of last season was what turned heads in the front office. In the final game of the regular season against the Orlando Magic, Wallace recorded his first career triple-double: 15 points, 11 rebounds, 15 assists, and 5 steals.
Jacob Toppin and Eli Ndiaye, despite having stellar Summer League performances, have the disadvantage of entering a forward-heavy locker room. Nothing is off the table, however, as injuries have derailed Hawks' seasons before.
Toppin had an eye-opening summer in particular. As a leader of the Atlanta Hawks NBA 2K26 Summer League squad, he averaged 15.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game before suffering a hip injury.
Along with the players on two-way contracts, several other players on Exhibit-10 contracts will also be looking to make a name for themselves during this year's training camp.
The most notable of the bunch is a guy who most Hawks fans thought would be on the 15-man roster regardless: Caleb Houstan. His signing was reported over a month before it was made official. When it was finally revealed, it was not what most expected. Atlanta signed the young, promising forward to an Exhibit-10 deal.
For those unaware, an Exhibit-10 deal is essentially a tryout. The contract is a non-guaranteed one-year deal, allowing players to impress the coaching staff at training camp.
Charles Bassey and Kobe Johnson, the younger brother of Jalen Johnson, are also on Exhibit-10 contracts. Bassey is an underrated and more-than-serviceable big man. He is a great rebounder for his size and should have a fair shot to make the roster. The battle between him and N'Faly Dante should be entertaining.
Training camp is going to be fun. With two roster spots remaining, Hawks fans will have no shortage of intrigue heading into the long-awaited 2025-26 regular season.