The Hawks are finalizing a trade for Aaron Wiggins, sending Oklahoma City Atlanta’s 2030 second-round pick and the less favorable of the Hawks’ and Lakers’ 2032 second-rounders. The agreement was reported late on June 21, 2026, hours after Atlanta retained CJ McCollum.
Wiggins is a career 38% three-point shooter who can defend wings, attack a closeout and function without dominating the ball. He is also owed only a little more than $17 million across the next two guaranteed seasons, with a team option for 2028-29.
Aaron Wiggins is a product of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s strong drafting and player development system. A versatile wing with athleticism, handles, and shooting ability, the 3-and-D type has shot 38% from three in his career but has been limited to a bench role, topping out at 24.2 minutes per game due to the Thunder’s deep and talented roster.
Before the 2024-25 season, he signed a five-year, $45 million extension that declines over time with a team option for 2028-29; the Hawks will owe him slightly more than $17 million over the next two guaranteed seasons and may give him an opportunity for a larger role. We’ll always remember the January 3, 2025 game, when Wiggins scored a season-high 19 points (including 15 in the fourth quarter on perfect 5-of-5 shooting) to beat the Knicks, 117-107. We’re like pessimistic elephants, never forgettin’ the losses. . . .
Wiggins will not transform Atlanta into an Eastern Conference favorite by himself. He does give the Hawks another useful defender and shooter to deploy against Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby. And because Atlanta did not surrender either numbers 8 or 23 in this week’s draft, they can still draft a major prospect, trade a first-rounder, or pursue another established player. Crafty birds.
Over the weekend, McCollum re-signed with the team on a one-year, $21 million contract, marking the first major free agency news of the offseason. The deal, reported by Shams Charania, includes a 7.5% trade kicker and leverages McCollum’s full bird rights acquired at the trade deadline, effectively providing an implied no-trade clause.
The 35-year-old veteran played a key role in the Hawks’ strong late-season surge, averaging 18.9 points per game on 56% true shooting, and delivered clutch postseason performances, making him a valuable short-term veteran presence as the team eyes the future with its upcoming draft pick.
Atlanta finished in sixth place last season. In the first round of the 2026 playoffs, they pushed the Knicks to 2-1 before New York got right and rode a 15-1 pony to the NBA championship (have you heard?). The Hawks’ lack of depth was exposed and exploited by our heroes. The acquisition of Wiggins is thus a corrective step.
So Atlanta patched a hole with Wiggins (a solid but unproven 3-and-D guy who was stuck in OKC’s loaded roster) for basically peanuts, and kept McCollum as their veteran microwave scorer on a short deal. Atlanta must have other deals in their sights if they want to make a real leap, though. If they’ve tired of the first pick in the 2024 draft, Zaccharie Risacher (who averaged 7.7 MPG and 3 PPG in the playoffs), they could bundle the Frenchman and the aforementioned picks in an offer for a star. Miami and Boston seem to be the frontrunners in the race for Giannis, but could Atlanta be positioning itself as a dark horse?
Quietly, Atlanta is building a more complete roster. Are you concerned? Air it out below.
