Amid the dog days of the NBA offseason, the Atlanta Hawks filled their final opening for a two-way contract on Tuesday, July 30.
“Free agent F Dominick Barlow has agreed on a two-way deal with the Atlanta Hawks, odd Ramasar of @LifeSportsAGNCY tells ESPN,” ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojanrowski reported on X, formerly Twitter, on July 30. “He played 61 games with the Spurs the past two seasons.”
2023 second-round pick Seth Lundy and Summer League Hawk Keaton Wallace are the others.
Barlow is a 6-foot-9 forward. He averaged 4.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in his 61 appearances with the Spurs across the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.
Barlow, 21, has been a stat sheet stuffer in back-to-back seasons in the G League with the Austin Spurs, averaging 21.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 1.4 steals, and 1.0 assists in 2023-24.
His addition has been spun as a bargain get for the Hawks.
“Big fan of this for Hawks. Only 21 and has some real upside if he can stretch out his shot,” The Athletic’s John Hollinger posted on X on July 30.
Hollinger – who spent seven years in the Memphis Grizzlies front office and now resides in Atlanta – was responding to a post from “Locked On Hawks” host Brad Rowland sharing similar reactions from his sources around the league.
The Spurs converted Barlow’s contract from a two-way to a standard version in March.
He hit free agency off a one-year, $455,620 contract, perhaps providing depth for the Hawks, who are hard-capped at the first luxury tax apron, per Spotrac.
Hawks F Dominick Barlow's path to making NBA history
Barlow did not attend college, instead playing for the Overtime Elie – which is based in Atlanta – during the 2021-22 season. Despite sparking some pre-draft hype in 2022, Barlow went unselected.
However, he quickly inked a two-way deal with the Spurs.
That made Barlow the first Overtime Elite player in history to make an NBA roster, per the San Antonio Express-News’ Jeff McDonald in January.
Barlow’s skill set looks to be in the same mold as rising star Jalen Johnson: versatile on both ends of the floor, capable of generating offense and offering some rim protection thanks to his athleticism.
If the Hawks can tap into that, Barlow could prove to be a steal.
Johnson dealt with injuries in 2023-24, including a nagging ankle ailment that cost him his eligibility for Most Improved Player.
Barlow is limited to 50 games with the Hawks during the regular season while on a two-way contract. If he performs as some believe he can, he could put the Hawks in a tough position of wanting to convert his deal like the Spurs did.
The Hawks are already dealing with a roster crunch.