The Atlanta Hawks have had a tremendous start to their offseason, trading for a 2026 first-round pick with high lottery potential and acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the Boston Celtics. They also snagged a draft steal in Asa Newell with the No. 23 pick.
The addition of Porzingis had almost no impact on Atlanta’s cap space and financial flexibility as they moved on from Georges Niang and Terrance Mann’s brutal contract in the three-team trade. The cost-controlled upside of this deal should set the Hawks up for more win-now moves, starting with the re-signing of Caris LeVert.
The Athletic’s John Hollinger addressed Atlanta’s ability to re-sign LeVert following the Porzingis deal. He believes the Hawks will bring their sixth man back to wreak more havoc on opposing benches throughout the league.
“One more positive element for Atlanta is that this deal had a near-zero cost in terms of cap flexibility, adding just $5 million to its cap number,” Hollinger wrote in his June 25 article. “The Hawks will likely re-sign Caris LeVert at something just north of the projected $14.1 million nontaxpayer midlevel exception, but even after that, they are roughly $14 million below the tax line and $22 million below the first apron, where they are now capped as a result of this trade.
“That room is important because the Hawks still have a massive $25.3 million trade exception from the Dejounte Murray deal; other than Brooklyn, they are the only team that can plausibly acquire a contract worth more than $14.1 million in a trade and not send anything back … It could also enable the Hawks to trade, say, Kobe Bufkin and Dom Barlow (combined salaries: $7 million) for a player who made $20 million.”
Atlanta’s uniquely flexible cap situation would allow general manager Onsi Saleh to bring LeVert back without jeopardizing any freedom to make more high-leverage moves this summer. The Hawks have as much potential to load their roster with even more talent as any team in the league.
Caris LeVert has already shown high interest in re-signing with Atlanta
In 26 games with the post-trade-deadline Hawks, LeVert averaged 14.9 points on 48.2% shooting. The microwave scorer showed out for Atlanta night in and night out until the team’s final game of the season in the play-in tournament. LeVert finished the Hawks’ loss to Miami as one of two Atlanta players with a positive plus-minus and a stat line of 15 points, seven rebounds, and six assists off the bench.
In a March 28 interview with Michael Scotto, LeVert expressed a strong desire to rejoin the Hawks next season. He said he would “love to resign” with Atlanta, showing appreciation for Quin Snyder’s coaching and his overall situation with the team.
LeVert clearly loves the Hawks, and a full offseason and training camp with them would only strengthen his chemistry and fit with the organization. Given Atlanta’s cap situation, fans shouldn’t be surprised by a LeVert return.
After adding KP and fleecing the Pelicans for what could be a franchise-altering pick in next year’s draft, the Hawks should look to continue their positive momentum with a new contract for LeVert.