Three Realistic Trades That The Atlanta Hawks Could Still Make Before The 2026-27 Season

The Atlanta Hawks went into the offseason without a clear need to pursue a superstar on the trade market or in free agency. Instead, they focused on building out the roster depth and supplementing it with a strong class of rookies. They did exactly that.

Bringing back CJ McCollum and Jock Landale on one-year deals kept them intact, while trades for Aaron Wiggins, Lu Dort, and Devin Carter will make them a deeper team in the regular season. They resolved the future of Zaccharie Risacher in Atlanta by dealing him to Dallas, freeing up space in their rotation for two first-round rookies in Kingston Flemings and Zuby Ejiofor.

If the offseason is already complete for the Hawks, it's one that's worthy of a passing grade. They didn't over-commit on any risky deals, and they took two rookies who are capable of growing into contributors. The development of Flemings will be very important to track, as he's guaranteed to have a shot at the starting PG spot long-term. That suggests the Hawks will be trending towards a three-guard lineup of Flemings, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Dyson Daniels to support a frontcourt of Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu.

At this stage, there are still two unanswered questions on the roster. The first is obviously the pending decision on Jonathan Kuminga, as he remains unsigned. It seems extremely likely that the Hawks are going to resolve it through a sign-and-trade if they can agree on compensation with the acquiring team. The second is the answers Atlanta has for the SF position.

Right now, the listed depth chart has Dyson Daniels as SF in the starting lineup with Aaron Wiggins, Lu Dort, Corey Kispert, and Buddy Hield behind him. That's not a bad set of options, but that pushes CJ McCollum into the starting lineup, and the chances of keeping McCollum healthy for an entire season are practically nil at his age.

Dort can play SG or SF, but there are legitimate questions over how much the Hawks can rely on him. He was practically unplayable for OKC in the postseason and struggled with injuries that sapped his productivity in the regular season.

Therefore, it wouldn't be a bad idea if the Hawks looked into adding some depth at the SF position. One of the easiest ways to do so is by swapping out a non-contributor in Corey Kispert (who's also on a long-term contract) for a short-term solution that doesn't affect Atlanta's cap sheet in the long run. Fortunately, there are several ways to accomplish that.

Cameron Johnson - F, Denver Nuggets

Hawks, Atlanta Hawks, NB — Dec 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson (23) drives to the basket against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Trade:

Hawks get: Cam Johnson, Jericho Sims, 2028 2nd-round pick (from DEN, via MIN)

Bucks get: Christian Braun, Corey Kispert, Zeke Nnaji, 2027 2nd round pick (via ATL), 2028 1st-round pick swap (via DEN), 2030 1st-round pick swap (via DEN), 2031 1st-round pick swap (via DEN), 2033 2nd-round pick (via ATL)

Nuggets get: Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, Ryan Rollins

Player Fit:

Even though his first season in Denver had its struggles, Johnson shot a career-best 43.7% on 4.3 attempts per game and has been an excellent shooter for his career. He doesn't turn the ball over (0.9 turnovers per game - 88th percentile among forwards) and holds his own on the perimeter with a respectable 1.9 deflections per game. He can be a very effective player when he doesn't have to create offense for himself on a regular basis and the Hawks have enough playmaking to give him that. He's also got postseason experience from his time with the Suns, Nets and Nuggets.

Grant Williams - SF/PF, Charlotte Hornets

The Trade:

Hawks get: Grant Williams

Hornets get: Corey Kispert, 2029 2nd-round pick (via ATL), 2030 2nd-round pick (via ATL), 2033 2nd-round pick (via ATL)

Player Fit:

Grant Williams isn't quite the postseason hero who nailed seven threes in a Game 7 anymore, but he's become an important locker room presence in Charlotte who still has plenty to offer to a contending team. After returning from a knee injury in January, Williams averaged 7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 42.6/38.8/81.5 shooting splits. He draws offensive fouls at an above-average rate, makes good decisions with the ball and hustles on defense.

Opponents shot 8.7% worse when Williams contested their shots last season, which was in the 99th percentile. He doesn't have any rim pressure and he'll struggle to keep up in certain matchups, but he's a much more versatile player than Kispert and his IQ on defense is enormously helpful for a Hawks team that sometimes lacks awareness on that end. He is also capable of playing small-ball center at times, which is a useful look that the Hawks could try in the regular season.

Ben Sheppard - SG/SF, Indiana Pacers

Hawks, Atlanta Hawks, NBA, Sheppard, Ben Sheppar — Jan 31, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard (26) steals the ball while Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Trade:

Hawks get: Ben Sheppard, Karlo Matkovic

Pacers get: Trey Murphy III, Mouhamed Gueye, Micah Peevy, 2027 2nd round pick (via NOP), 2030 2nd-round pick (via ATL), 2031 2nd-round pick (via NOP)

Pelicans get: Obi Toppin, Jarace Walker, Johnny Furphy, 2027 1st-round pick (via IND), 2028 1st-round pick swap (via IND), 2030 1st-round pick swap (via IND), 2031 1st-round pick (via IND)

Player Fit:

Ben Sheppard was a contributor for Indiana during their run to the NBA Finals, even if he didn't always have the loudest stats. His combination of speed, defense, and shooting gave the Pacers an underrated spark when they needed it. However, he didn't exactly impress when given a bigger role last season due to injuries.

That's fine for Atlanta, which just needs a reliable option as their eighth/ninth man who doesn't compromise them on either end of the floor. Sheppard is exactly that - he had a very low turnover percentage of 3.4% on scoring chances, had a solid DREB% of 10.5%, and shot 68.3% at the rim, 60% from midrange, and 88.9% from the FT line during the 2024-25 season when the Pacers were healthy. Although inconsistent, he also shot a career-best 36.2% from deep on 3.6 attempts a game last season.

Karlo Matkovic is one of the more underrated deep rotation pieces in the NBA. He shot 42.2% from deep on limited volume, blocked 5.6% of opponents shot attempts while on the floor and had a TS% of 69.6% last season.

He's got some rim protection ability and could be an interesting candidate to replace Mo Gueye if the Hawks decide to prioritize the growth of Zuby Ejiofor. Atlanta could certainly use more complementary rim protection to help Onyeka Okongwu, and Matkovic is still just 25. If he has a strong season in Atlanta, there's a good chance they could keep him around on a new contract.

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