Onsi Saleh identified two goals for the Atlanta Hawks’ short-term future, and neither one involves a blockbuster trade this season.
In an interview with 92.9 The Game, Saleh shut down any dreams of a Giannis Antetokounmpo or Anthony Davis trade. Instead, he outlined his first goal: to follow San Antonio and Oklahoma City as a more realistic team-building model. He referenced the two franchises twice in his 14-minute interview.
The two most promising teams in the Western Conference built their title teams slowly. Oklahoma City bottomed out after Damian Lillard ended the Paul George-Russell Westbrook era. They traded for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, then drafted Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. Only after they became a viable playoff team did the Thunder start making win-now moves, as they did for Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein. This culminated in winning the Finals, before their star trio had even hit their prime.
San Antonio is less developed as a team, but they, too, followed this path. While getting the luck to draft Victor Wembanyama certainly didn’t hurt, they have been patient in their development. They sold high on Derrick White and Dejounte Murray, then nailed their draft picks. They finalized their star core by trading for De’Aaron Fox last season. While they aren’t quite the Thunder yet, they have a promising path ahead.
The Hawks have the tools to follow this path, and unlike OKC and SA, they already have a star on the roster.
No major moves will be made until the 2026 draft
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery will be a major turning point in the Hawks’ arc as a franchise. The team currently holds the rights to the Pelicans/Bucks swap, which is one of the most valuable trade assets in recent memory. If the balls bounce Atlanta’s way, the team could add another All-Star to lead this team alongside Jalen Johnson. In this case, the Hawks’ plans would change drastically, pivoting to a 3-5 year championship timeline.
If the Hawks are not so fortunate as to land a top pick, then they will have to scour the market for Johnson’s co-star. With a plethora of young talent and draft picks at their disposal, Atlanta can assemble a package for the next superstar to hit the market.
Instead, Saleh will restock the team with talent in free agency – his second goal. He would like to keep cap space, including the nearly $10 million room Mid-Level Exception, to find a theoretical player he dubbed “the next Nickeil [Alexander-Walker].” This, of course, refers to the Hawks’ brilliant decision to sign NAW for just $15 annually.
While it would be more fun for the Hawks to go all in and trade for Giannis, this just isn’t how you build a championship team. Saleh has the long game in mind – if anything, expect fireworks after this year’s draft.