The first 19 hours of free agency in the NBA had plenty of eye-popping deals reported, but none involved the Hawks.
Several players in this year’s free-agent class returned to their teams when the floodgates opened at 6 p.m. Friday. By midnight, a few teams handed out lucrative contracts to players due for extensions.
But for the Hawks, they had a very quiet Friday night compared with the fireworks they set off Monday when they traded John Collins to the Jazz.
The Hawks will continue to make their calls up until the moratorium period ends at noon ET Thursday.
On Saturday afternoon, the Hawks dealt the draft rights to Alpha Kaba, who they selected in the second round of the 2017 NBA draft, to Houston. They acquired guard TyTy Washington and center Usman Garuba, a 2028 second-pick from the Rockets, a 2025 second-round pick that originated with the Timberwolves, as well as $1.1 million in cash, according to people familiar with the situation. Both Washington and Garuba add more youth to the Hawks roster, as well as depth at both of their positions.
In Garuba, the Hawks get another center. They already have extended the guaranteed contract date to July 10 for center Bruno Fernando. It gave the Hawks some flexibility to continue potentially building packages that could help them continue to negotiate other deals.
A 21-year-old center, Garuba averaged three points and 4.1 rebounds with the Rockets last season. He shot 40.7% from 3, though it was at a low volume of 0.8 3-point attempts per game.
With Washington, the Hawks possibly added another young guard who could back up veterans Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. Washington averaged 4.7 points and 1.4 rebounds in 31 games but struggled from long range. The 21-year-old guard shot 35% from on 3-pointers in college, though, and has only one season under his belt in the NBA. So, there is potential that the Hawks could help him find a groove in their system.
The NBA announced Friday that the salary cap has been set at $136.021 million for the 2023-24 season. The tax level for the season is $165.294 million. The league also announced the various luxury-tax apron levels for teams.
- The minimum team salary is $122.418 million for the 2023-24 season.
- The first apron level is $172.346 million for the 2023-24 season.
- The second apron level is $182.794 million for the 2023-24 season.
With Collins’ salary off the books, the Hawks now have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception worth $12.4 million. It gives the Hawks some flexibility to sign a free agent using that exception.
But Collins’ trade also opened a $25.3 exception, which would allow them to trade for a player or players up to that value. The Hawks have one year to use that exception.
In the deal that sent Collins to the Jazz, the Hawks received veteran forward Rudy Gay. The 17-year veteran could be a part of a package that the Hawks look to present to a trade partner. The Hawks have plenty of options available at forward, so it is unlikely that Gay will remain on the team even if they cannot make a trade happen.
Like Gay, Garuba and Washington could be packaged in a potential deal.
The Hawks currently have 11 players under guaranteed contracts, which does not include a contract for their first-round pick, Kobe Bufkin. The team likely will sign their second-round picks, Mouhamed Gueye and Seth Lundy to two-way contracts. Per the new CBA, teams can carry up to three two-way players. The Hawks reportedly already have signed Miles Norris to a two-way deal.
There’s still plenty of time though for the Hawks to get in on the action as they continue to keep their options open.
