Thanks to the moves that general manager Onsi Saleh and the rest of the Atlanta Hawks front office have been making since last summer, Atlanta is going to have a lot of optionality this offseason.
If the Hawks pick up the $24.3 million team option on Jonathan Kuminga, the $2.4 million option on Mouhamed Gueye, and waive Buddy Hield (partially guaranteed contract), Atlanta is going to have $146,410, 435 million committed to nine players. Atlanta has three picks in the upcoming NBA draft as well, as well as a decision to make on CJ McCollum and whether or not to bring him back, but the Hawks have plenty of space to operate under the luxury tax, which is set for $201,000,000.
Why is that important? Because they are under the tax, the Hawks are going to have access to their non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is set for $15,049,000 this offseason. It will be a valuable tool for the Hawks to use to improve their team this offseason.
So who could be targets for the Hawks this offseason using their exception?
Anfernee Simons
I think the market for Anfernee Simons is going to be a fascinating storyline to watch this offseason. There is no denying that Simons is one of the most talented scorers in the NBA, but the league is transitioning away from smaller, defensively challenged guards. Still, Simons showed on the Celtics last season before being traded that he is still a high-level scorer.
The Hawks need to improve their bench this offseason and Simons would be a great option to bring off the bench. Simons would be a major upgrade over Gabe Vincent, who would give the Hawks a big-time scoring punch off the bench and a career 38.1% three point shooter.
WIll Simons settle for the mid-level or get a better contract elsewhere? If the answer is the former, Atlanta should be interested.
Robert Williams III
The Hawks are going to be connected to plenty of centers this offseason, and Robert Williams III is going to be one of them. He is going to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and one of the best defenders in the NBA is going to be available this summer.
The Hawks are going to have to be sure they want to bring Williams on because of his medical injury. The good news is that he played in 59 games during the regular season, the second most of his career, but in the two seasons prior, he played in 26 combined games. He is certainly going to miss time next season and will likely be out on back-to-backs, but he is the kind of interior defender that Atlanta needs.
Offensively, Wiliams is more of a lob threat and not much else, but the Hawks are going to want him for his defense.
I would not sign Williams to a long-term deal due to the health concerns, but Atlanta needs his skill set along with Onyeka Okongwu.
Mitchell Robinson
Mitchell Robinson is a big reason the Hawks were sent home in the first round of the playoffs, but if the Knicks don’t bring him back, Atlanta should be interested.
Robinson himself does bring injury concerns, but the toughness, physicality, rebounding, and rim protection that he would bring to this team would fit the bill of the kind of center Atlanta is looking for to pair with Onyeka Okongwu.
Like Williams, Robinson is not going to be much of a threat on the offensive end and is a very poor free-throw shooter, but in backup center minutes, he could excel in Atlanta.
Coby White
While I think the previous three players are going to have to settle for the mid-level exception, Coby White might be too expensive for the Hawks this offseason.
But again, what is the market for smaller guards who cannot defend? If White has to settle for the mid-level exception, he fits the kind of guard Atlanta needs off the bench, much like Simons. White is an electric scorer who can get hot from three, but is not great at getting to the rim.
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