Hawks Rumors

Hawks To Sign Luke Kennard On One-Year Contract

The Hawks are signing free agent wing Luke Kennard on a one-year, $11MM contract, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (via Twitter).

Quite a few teams were rumored to be interested in Kennard and he chose to go to the Hawks, who also agreed to a sign-and-trade on Monday to acquire another prominent wing, Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

The Hawks will use a majority of their mid-level exception to sign Kennard. The 29-year-old has long been regarded as one of the top 3-point shooters in the league. He has knocked down 43.8 percent of his 3s during his 460-game career.

Kennard appeared in 65 games with the Grizzlies this past season, the most action he’s seen since he played 70 games with the Clippers in 2021/22. He averaged 8.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists while making 43.3 percent of his long-range shots in 2024/25.

Kennard will provide guard/forward depth to a Hawks team that’s clearly looking to move up in what appears to be a wide-open Eastern Conference.

Give Trae Young an assist: He helped recruit Kennard to Atlanta, Charania adds in another tweet.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker Headed To Hawks In Sign-And-Trade

Free agent guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has agreed to a four-year, $62MM deal with the Hawks, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (via Twitter).

The contract includes a fourth-year player option and a trade kicker, according to Charania (Twitter link).

The Hawks will acquire Alexander-Walker via a sign-and-trade using the $25MM trade exception generated by last year’s Dejounte Murray trade, according to cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link). This will generate a trade exception for the Timberwolves worth half of Alexander-Walker’s starting salary.

The Timberwolves are also receiving cash considerations and a future second-rounder, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets. The pick is the Cavaliers’ 2027 second-rounder, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link).

By going the sign-and-trade route, Atlanta will be able to preserve its non-taxpayer mid-level exception and still has room under the luxury tax line to make use of it.

The Hawks were considered the frontrunners to acquire Alexander-Walker after the Timberwolves reached agreements with two of their other prominent players, Naz Reid and Julius Randle. According to insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link), Trae Young was instrumental in recruiting NAW to Atlanta.

Alexander-Walker emerged as one of the biggest names on the free agent market due to his three-and-D skills. He had a 23-point, six-assist outing against OKC in the Western Conference Finals.

The 26-year-old appeared in every regular season game this season, including 10 starts, averaging 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He made 38.1 percent of his threes and has knocked down 36 percent of them in his career. He now slots in as the Hawks’ sixth man, backing up Dyson Daniels at shooting guard.

Clint Capela Agrees To Three-Year Contract With Rockets

9:12pm: The Rockets are acquiring Capela in a sign-and-trade with the Hawks, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), who reports that Houston is giving Atlanta a second-round pick swap in 2031 and cash to complete the deal.


7:03pm: The Rockets continued to retool their frontcourt by agreeing to a three-year, $21.5MM contract with Hawks free agent Clint Capela, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets. The contract is fully guaranteed, Charania adds (Twitter link).

It’s no surprise that Capela, who lost his starting job in the second half of this past season, was leaving Atlanta. The Hawks are acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the Celtics to be their starting big man, at least for next season.

Going to the Rockets, where he started his career, is somewhat of a surprise, given they already have one of the league’s top young big men in Alperen Sengun.

Houston also signed Steven Adams to a three-year extension in mid-June. Where Capela fits on the depth chart remains to be seen.

As for the contract terms, how they’ll acquire Capela is another mystery. Houston also agreed to a four-year deal with forward Dorian Finney-Smith on Monday, apparently via their non-taxpayer mid-level exception. That would mean the Rockets would have to work out a sign-and-trade to bring in Capela.

This past season, Capela started 41 of 55 games and averaged 8.9 points and 8.5 rebounds in 21.4 minutes. That was the first time in eight seasons Capela didn’t average a double-double. He was the Hawks’ regular starting center the previous four seasons after a six-year stay with Houston.

Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Jerome, Kennard, Capela, Lakers, Bulls, More

In their latest round-up of scuttlebutt ahead of the start of free agency on Monday, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) reiterate or confirm a few of the rumors that have been percolating in recent days, writing that Dennis Schröder appears to be on track to join the Kings on a two-year deal worth the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, while D’Angelo Russell is widely expected to join the Mavericks on a two-year deal that utilizes the taxpayer mid-level.

Stein and Fischer also stress that the Grizzlies are increasingly regarded as the favorites to land free agent guard Ty Jerome, with rival teams expecting him to sign for a deal in the neighborhood of $9-10MM annually (Twitter link).

Additionally, Stein and Fischer confirm that the Rockets are now eyeing Luke Kennard in addition to Dorian Finney-Smith. Besides Houston, the Hawks and Nuggets are considered potential suitors for Kennard, one of the league’s best outside shooters, according to The Stein Line duo.

Here are a few more fresh pieces of intel from Stein and Fischer:

  • The Clippers are viewed as a viable candidate to land free agent center Clint Capela. Los Angeles is known to be in the market for an Ivica Zubac backup, with Drew Eubanks not expected to return.
  • If the Lakers end up losing Finney-Smith in free agency, they’re expected to express interest in another talented perimeter defender, De’Anthony Melton, Stein and Fischer report. Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link) has also heard that there’s mutual interest between Melton and the Lakers. The veteran guard signed for the full non-taxpayer mid-level a year ago, but seems unlikely to land another deal in that range after missing nearly the entire season with a torn ACL.
  • There’s a “strong expectation” that free agent point guard Tre Jones will remain with the Bulls, Stein and Fischer say. K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network previously reported that the odds of a reunion between the two sides were rising following the team’s Lonzo Ball trade.
  • The Bucks are working on potential Pat Connaughton trade scenarios and have a couple possible pathways to a deal, per Stein and Fischer. Milwaukee would likely have to attach a sweetener to move Connaughton, but perhaps could acquire a player in return who would upgrade the rotation.
  • The Wizards have been gauging the trade market for a pair of veterans on expiring contracts, guard Marcus Smart and big man Kelly Olynyk, Stein and Fischer write. Olynyk technically isn’t even a Wizard yet, as the deal sending him from New Orleans to Washington will become official after the July moratorium — it sounds like there’s a chance he’s flipped to another team.
  • DeMarre Carroll and former Wizards assistant Brian Randle are expected to have two of the front-of-bench spots on Jordan Ott‘s coaching staff, but the new Suns coach is still seeking a lead assistant who has previous head coaching experience, according to Stein and Fischer.

Free Agency Notes: Rockets, Ty. Jones, Heat, Raptors, More

The Rockets are diligently working secure meetings with Dorian Finney-Smith, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard when free agency gets underway at 5:00 pm CT, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Houston is viewed as the frontrunner to land Finney-Smith after the veteran forward declined his $15.4MM player option and didn’t immediately work out a new deal with the Lakers. Marc Stein has reported multiple times that the Rockets are prepared to offer the 32-year-old a four-year deal worth most of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

Alexander-Walker, meanwhile, is expected to leave Minnesota after the Timberwolves agreed to lucrative new contracts with Naz Reid and Julius Randle. The Hawks have been rumored as the favorite to acquire the versatile guard, but several teams are said to be interested in his services.

Atlanta is also rumored to have interest in Kennard, who is the third-most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history at 43.8%. He has spent the past two-plus seasons in Memphis, but is expected to leave the Grizzlies in free agency.

Here are a few more free agency-related notes and rumors:

  • The Knicks could be a suitor for point guard Tyus Jones, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link). “Tyus Jones is a name that I’m keeping an eye on,” Begley said. “Last summer, there was mutual interest…Jones was even willing to take a pay cut to come to New York. He ended up choosing Phoenix thinking it would be a very good situation for him — didn’t work out, so he’s back on the market.” New York can likely only offer the taxpayer mid-level exception or the veteran’s minimum, Begley notes.
  • The Magic also expressed prior interest in Tyus Jones and he could be a good fit with Orlando depending on how much money he’s seeking in free agency, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic. If it’s not Jones, the Magic will likely look to add a different veteran point guard to improve their shooting and offense, Robbins writes.
  • Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald released a guide for some of the options the Heat could explore in free agency. According to Chiang, guard Dru Smith is expected to return to Miami on a two-way deal after he was issued a two-way qualifying offer, but he has yet to accept that QO. Smith was on the verge of being promoted to a standard contract last season before suffering a torn Achilles tendon in late December.
  • As of now, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca expects the Raptors to be “fairly quiet” in free agency (Twitter link). Toronto will likely fill out the end of its roster with minimum-salary deals. A veteran extension for starting center Jakob Poeltl remains a possibility as well, Grange adds.
  • Zach Kram of ESPN.com lists seven “underrated players” who are about to hit the open market, including Chris Boucher, De’Anthony Melton and Gary Trent Jr.

Lakers Expect To Lose Finney-Smith, Add Free Agent Center

The Lakers are preparing to lose free agent forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who has received strong interest from the Rockets, but his departure will open up a salary slot in their pursuit of a center, sources tell Dan Woike of The Athletic.

The BucksBrook Lopez and the HawksClint Capela are among their targets, according to Woike, along with Deandre Ayton, who reached a buyout agreement with the Trail Blazers on Sunday. L.A. will have the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception available as it goes shopping for a big man.

Woike hears that the Lakers want to preserve their future cap space in hopes of landing another star to pair with Luka Doncic, possibly next summer, so any deal with a center might be short term.

Lopez played for the Lakers during the 2017/18 season and has frequently been mentioned as a possibility to return. The 37-year-old is likely the best outside shooter on the market, connecting at 37.3% this season while averaging 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 80 games.

Capela, 31, would bring more of a shot-blocking presence. He has been one of the league’s top rebounders, especially on the offensive glass, since coming to Atlanta in 2020, but his numbers were down across the board this season as his playing time declined to 21.4 minutes per night.

Ayton missed more than half the season due to a calf strain, but he’s only 26 and has put up good numbers when healthy throughout his career. The Lakers wouldn’t be able to reach a deal with Ayton until he completes the waiver process.

A source tells Woike that L.A. isn’t making calls to determine Austin Reaves‘ trade value after he turned down a four-year, $89MM extension offer. The Lakers still consider Reaves to be part of the future, per Woike, and expect to sign him to a larger deal when he becomes eligible.

As for Finney-Smith, Marc Stein – who previously identified the Rockets as a leading suitor for the veteran forward – reiterates (via Twitter) that the team is believed to readying a four-year contract offer for him. That offer is expected to be worth a significant portion of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

Scotto’s Latest: Alexander-Walker, Richards, Capela, Kennard, Shamet

Echoing multiple reports, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirms that the Hawks and Pistons are considered to be the front-runners for Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, but he lists other contenders as well. League sources tell Scotto that the Clippers and Raptors remain in pursuit of Alexander-Walker along with other teams. He adds that the Magic were also interested before trading for Desmond Bane.

Toronto may be a surprise considering its position near the bottom of the standings this year, but the Raptors are reportedly determined to make a quick turnaround. Scotto notes that Alexander-Walker is a Toronto native and the franchise has a history of bringing in Canadian players, with four on the roster this season.

Scotto talked with several executives around the league who expect Alexander-Walker to sign for at least the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. League sources told Scotto they don’t expect him to return to the Wolves after they reached new deals with Naz Reid and Julius Randle.

Scotto shares more rumors as the start of free agency draws near:

  • Center Nick Richards appears to be a trade candidate after the Suns drafted Khaman Maluach and agreed to acquire Mark Williams from Charlotte. Richards’ $5MM contract for next season became fully guaranteed on Sunday, and Scotto hears from league sources that the Knicks, Pacers and Lakers are among the teams with interest.
  • Clint Capela isn’t expected to return to the Hawks in the wake of the Kristaps Porzingis deal, and Scotto lists the Clippers, Lakers and Spurs as teams to watch for the free agent center.
  • Sources tell Scotto that Luke Kennard is likely to move on from the Grizzlies. The 29-year-old guard is one of the league’s top three-point shooters.
  • The Knicks would like to keep free agent guard Landry Shamet, but he’s being eyed by several contending teams, Scotto adds.

Hawks Considered Favorites For Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Heading into the start of free agency, rival teams view the Hawks as the favorites to land Nickeil Alexander-Walker, likely in a sign-and-trade with the Timberwolves, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). This echoes a report on Sunday from Grant Afseth of RG.

Atlanta would be able to absorb Alexander-Walker’s new salary into the $25.3MM traded player exception it created in last summer’s Dejounte Murray deal.

Alexander-Walker is a strong two-way contributor who would bring a valuable element to an emerging Hawks team. The 26-year-old shooting guard is among the league’s top three-and-D players and connected at 38.1% from beyond the arc this season.

His expected move to Atlanta will have ripple effects on at least two other teams, Stein and Fischer add. The Pistons, who have also been considered contenders for Alexander-Walker, will turn their attention to signing Hawks free agent forward Caris LeVert, who had a productive half season off the bench after being acquired from Cleveland in February. Afseth also mentioned Detroit as a potential favorite for in LeVert in the wake of gambling allegations against Malik Beasley.

As Stein and Fischer have reported before, the Kings are working on a deal with Dennis Schröder to take over as their starting point guard. They cite projections that his new contract could approach $30MM over two years, which likely means he would receive the team’s non-taxpayer midlevel exception, which totals up to about $28.9MM over two seasons. Sources tell Stein and Fischer that Sacramento is also in the market for a second point guard to back up Schröder, possibly Russell Westbrook or Malcolm Brogdon.

The Pistons’ pursuit of a shooter to replace Beasley could involve Duncan Robinson, who opted out of his contract with the Heat on Sunday. Sources tell Stein and Fischer that Robinson made his decision with the expectation that he’ll get a longer deal with Miami or that the team will work with him on a sign-and-trade.

Hawks To Decline Option On Dominick Barlow

The Hawks are declining their team option on center Dominick Barlow, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (via Twitter).

Barlow’s option was for $2.2MM. The 22-year-old 6’9″ big man will become an unrestricted free agent with the move.

Barlow played 35 games with the Hawks this season after spending his first two years with the Spurs. He averaged 4.2 points and 2.4 rebounds for the Hawks in 10.7 minutes a night, numbers that are basically in line with his career averages, but he failed to carve out a real role for himself.

The Overtime Elite alumnus has performed well in the G League, but is still searching for a long-term NBA spot after the Spurs opted not to keep him last summer.

Pistons Eyeing LeVert, Alexander-Walker Amid Beasley Gambling Allegations

Amid a probe by the U.S. District Attorney’s office into alleged gambling activities by Pistons free agent guard Malik Beasley, Detroit is mulling a different approach this offseason, Grant Afseth reports in an RG.org story.

Talks between the Pistons and Beasley have stalled, despite previous momentum on a multiyear deal, according to Afseth’s sources. Beasley, who was one of the league’s premier three-point shooters and reserves this past season, had been in “serious talks” on a three-year, $42MM contract to remain in Detroit, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Along with the gambling allegations, Beasley is also dealing with lawsuit by his former agent, Daniel Hazan, over a financial dispute tied to a marketing advance, according to Afseth.

The Pistons are gauging the trade market on Simone Fontecchio, who has an expiring $8.3MM contract, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. A Fontecchio trade could allow the Pistons to open up $24MM in cap space if they lose two of their other top free agents, Dennis Schröder and Tim Hardaway Jr.

Opening up that cap room would help the Pistons pursue two other free agents they like — the Timberwolves’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker and the Hawks’ Caris LeVert. However, the Hawks are also pursuing Alexander-Walker and exploring a possibility of retaining LeVert. Afseth hears that the Hawks are the favorite to land the Minnesota free agent, while the Pistons are trending toward being the favorite to land LeVert. Atlanta is also among the teams in the mix for Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard.

Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon has a history with LeVert, Afseth notes (Twitter link). Langdon served as assistant GM for the Nets in 2016 when they drafted LeVert.