The Atlanta Hawks are stuck with 17 players on standard contracts, but the league only allows 15 on the active roster. This math problem needs a solution before tip-off, and the clock is ticking fast. The team cannot just sit on this mess while the season starts. They have to make hard choices now or face a mess later.
The Buddy Hield Dilemma
Buddy Hield is the most obvious name to watch as the front office sorts this out. He is owed $9.6 million for this season, according to reports. That is a lot of money for a guy who might not play much. The Hawks already added Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins to the backcourt, which makes Hield’s spot very shaky. He is not expected to have a big role anymore.
The team could waive him and stretch that salary, but they are already below the luxury tax line. There is no real financial reason to take that route right now. A trade would be much better for everyone involved. If they can move him, they clear a spot and get something back. If not, they might have to cut him anyway.
Carter and the Deadline Rush
Devin Carter presents another tricky option for the Hawks to handle. He becomes eligible to be traded on Sunday, per reports. The team got him from Sacramento earlier this offseason along with a second-round pick. Now that he can move, Atlanta could look to flip him again to open up one of their two needed spots.
Non-guaranteed deals belonging to Mouhamed Gueye and Ryan Nembhard allow for straightforward cuts. Nembhard cannot be traded until Sept. 19, which limits what the Hawks can do with him right now. While Corey Kispert remains a potential trade target, his contract terms render waiving him extremely difficult. There are options, but none of them are fun or exciting.
When you are trying to go from 17 players down to 15, excitement is not the goal.
