The Atlanta Hawks are getting rave reviews for their latest string of moves to open the NBA offseason.
The Hawks made a couple of key transactions on Sunday, starting with the team re-signing veteran guard CJ McCollum to a new contract for next season. Atlanta followed with a trade hours later to acquire Aaron Wiggins from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
McCollum was a standout playoff performer in April for a young Hawks team that put up the best fight against the eventual champion New York Knicks. Wiggins was a veteran piece on a Thunder squad that was a game away from winning the West in back-to-back seasons.
Both players join the Hawks roster next season on team-friendly deals, leaving several fans and media members impressed.
The Hawks this offseason so far:
— SleeperHoops (@Sleeper_Hoops) June 22, 2026
– re-signed CJ McCollum to a one-year $21 million contract
– traded two second-round picks for Aaron Wiggins
Atlanta winning the NBA offseason so far 👀🍿 pic.twitter.com/LfPCJMMUpa
I've gotta say the Atlanta Hawks are moving like a COMPLETELY different team over the last couple of seasons.
— Swipa (@SwipaCam) June 22, 2026
Being able to flip the Pelicans OWN PICK (#8) for Trey Murphy and a filler salary (Kuminga) would be a MASTERCLASS.
Oh I absolutely love this move
— Grant Shirley (@Grant_Shirley4) June 22, 2026
Fell victim to the roster crunch in OKC when everyone was healthy but he will give you legitimately good rotation wing minutes
Only getting paid $9.2m/$8.3m/$8.3m the next 3 seasons
The Hawks flipping Vit and Luke for 3 2nds at the deadline… https://t.co/Wg8ChvzOD3
People are acting like this is a small trade and they want to fast forward to the inevitable Giannis post, but this is a really big trade for the Hawks because Aaron Wiggins is such an underrated player.
— Randall Barnes (@AuthorRandallB) June 22, 2026
He is incredibly talented, and the fact he fell out of the Thunder's… https://t.co/tPnqsdb1rd
The Hawks moved on from Trae Young last season with an eye toward a new era under the leadership of newly minted team president Onsi Saleh. Amidst a turbulent midseason roster reconstruction, Atlanta still finished with a 46-36 record and a top-six record in the East.
With the star turns of Jalen Johnson and reigning Most Improved Player Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the Hawks have a good mix of youth and veteran leadership to build off their successful 2025-26 campaign.
How far the current core can go without another high-level difference maker remains to be seen.
