Atlanta Hawks Waive Former Lottery Pick Devin Carter

The Atlanta Hawks are waiving guard Devin Carter, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported Friday, citing league sources. Carter has to clear waivers before he is free to sign somewhere else.

Atlanta acquired him on June 29 through a trade with the Sacramento Kings, also sending Sacramento's 2033 second-round pick to the Hawks. The Kings obtained the draft rights to Alpha Kaba, the 60th pick in the 2017 draft, and fell below the second apron.

Carter is guaranteed $5.16 million this season. His contract carries a $7.37 million team option for 2027-28 that Atlanta had until Oct. 31 to decide on. The deadline to waive a player and stretch his 2026-27 salary across future seasons passed on Aug. 29.

Heading into September, the Hawks had 17 players on standard contracts, two more than the regular-season limit of 15.

Carter turned 24 in March. He was the 13th overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Providence, where he was named Big East Player of the Year as a junior after transferring from South Carolina. His NBA debut was delayed to January 2025 due to left shoulder surgery, and his second season was disrupted by ankle, back, and calf problems. He is the son of former NBA guard Anthony Carter.

Over two seasons with the Kings, Carter started 12 of 74 games played. He averaged 6.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 14.8 minutes per game. He shot 40.1% from the floor, 27.4% from three-point range, and 67.4% from the free-throw line.

During a three-game period in late March, he averaged 19.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, topping his team with 24 points in the game against the Indiana Pacers.

The Hawks have fielded a crowded perimeter after a series of offseason moves. They drafted Kingston Flemings eighth overall in June, traded for Aaron Wiggins and Luguentz Dort from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and also landed Ryan Nembhard from the Dallas Mavericks. Atlanta also already had CJ McCollum, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Buddy Hield.

Hield is owed $9.6 million this season. Mouhamed Gueye and Nembhard are on non-guaranteed contracts. Gueye had foot surgery over the summer, and Nembhard cannot be traded until Sept. 19.

ESPN projected Atlanta to finish 47-35 and take the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks went 46-36 last season and lost to the New York Knicks in six games in the first round.

Training camp opens in Nashville later this month. Atlanta starts the regular season on the road against the Orlando Magic.