Hawks Have One Clear Roster Hole To Fix Before 2026-27 Season
· Yahoo Sports
The Atlanta Hawks should be one of the deepest teams in the NBA in 2026-27, but a look at their depth chart may reveal a hole to fill. This team does not have a clear backup 4.
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Unless you're high on Aaron Wiggins at the position. His 6-foot-10 wingspan will allow him to spend some time there, but he's still ultimately 6-foot-5. Wiggins spent more time playing up a position with the Thunder last year, but asking him to regularly handle power forwards would be a different challenge.
So who else will play the position when superstar forward Jalen Johnson sits?
Hawks Need More Frontcourt Depth Behind Jalen Johnson
Perhaps combo big Mouhamed Gueye was the solution. Unfortunately, a fractured left foot will force him to miss the beginning of the year.
Even then, banking on a breakout season can be risky. Gueye has shown some potential, but last year, he averaged 4.4 points per game while shooting 30.8% from 3-point range. It feels fair to say that the Hawks could upgrade from that production.
Gueye will get minutes throughout the year, but it would be unwise to assume he's a second-string caliber player for a contender.
It could have been that Jonathan Kuminga was earmarked for that spot. By now, that doesn't appear to be an option. A recent report indicated that Kuminga will not return to the Hawks after Atlanta declined his $24.3 million team option earlier this summer.
So, the Hawks need a solution at the 4:
But it doesn't have to be a radical one.
Hawks Could Use Buddy Hield Contract To Find Backup 4
The obvious starting point here feels like Buddy Hield and his $9.66 million salary.
Hield has already remained involved in potential trade conversations, so Atlanta has a logical matching salary if it wants to address the frontcourt.
The first team to call might be the Chicago Bulls. If the Hawks are willing to attach some assets, they could flip Hield for Jalen Smith. If they want to keep more draft capital, Zach Collins could be available for the right price.
The relationship between the Indiana Pacers and young combo big Jarace Walker feels shaky. Perhaps they'd part with veteran wing Kelly Oubre Jr. in the right deal. The San Antonio Spurs might be willing to move Harrison Barnes for the right price as well.
This is merely brainstorming. The broader point is that there are 4s available in Hield's salary range, and the Hawks need one.
They don't have to break the bank for a starting-caliber player. Simply filling this hole on their bench would make them a much more well-rounded team in 2026-27:
And they're already among the league's deepest squads.