The Hawks and Hornets have discussed a trade involving Buddy Hield and Dorian Finney-Smith, according to Jake Fischer.
The Atlanta Hawks have explored trades involving Buddy Hield's $9.7 million salary all summer, and at various points this month those talks have included the Charlotte Hornets and forward Dorian Finney-Smith. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported the on-and-off discussions Sunday, citing league sources.
Devin Carter was part of one version of a proposed deal, according to Fischer. The Hawks waived him on Sept. 11, and Carter has since signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Boston Celtics.
Carter never played a game for Atlanta. The Hawks got him from Sacramento on June 29, along with the Kings' 2033 second-round pick, and let him audition for multiple teams before they released him, The Stein Line reported last week. His near $5.2 million salary for this season was guaranteed.
Hawks Have Explored Buddy Hield Trades All Summer
Atlanta guaranteed all of Hield's salary on June 28. Before that, only $3 million was locked in, and the team and Hield had already agreed once to push back the deadline.
Hield arrived in February, when the Hawks sent Kristaps Porzingis to Golden State for him and Jonathan Kuminga. He got into seven regular-season games in Atlanta and averaged 5.1 points in 7.3 minutes. In the first-round loss to the New York Knicks, he played 13 minutes total across two games and scored 10 points. New York won that series in six.
Split between the Warriors and Hawks, he averaged 7.6 points in 16.1 minutes over 51 games, shooting 34.9% from three. Hield was the sixth overall pick in 2016 and has a $10.1 million player option for 2027-28.
Finney-Smith Would Give Atlanta More Wing Defense
Finney-Smith would give Atlanta a wing defender with notable size. However, one concern is that he played only 37 games last season coming off ankle surgery in June 2025.
In those games for Houston, Finney-Smith averaged 3.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 16.8 minutes. His 27% from three was the lowest of his career, which has him at 35.9% overall.
On July 6, the Rockets traded him to Charlotte, including three second-round picks: Memphis' 2027 choice and Houston's 2028 and 2033 selections. The Hornets sent back cash. That evening, Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer reported that Finney-Smith was unlikely to play for the Hornets.
Houston signed him to a four-year, $52.7 million contract in July 2025. He is due $13.3 million this season. A similar amount is scheduled for 2027-28, but it only becomes guaranteed if he is not waived before June 29, 2027. The final year, 2028-29, is a player option.
Finney-Smith went undrafted out of Florida in 2016, then signed with Dallas, playing seven seasons and starting for the 2022 team that reached the Western Conference Finals. In February 2023, the Mavericks traded him to Brooklyn in exchange for Kyrie Irving, and later, in December 2024, the Nets traded him to the Lakers. Now 33, he has appeared in 44 career playoff games.
Hawks Still Need to Make a Roster Move
After recently waiving Devon Carter, Atlanta currently rosters 16 players on standard contracts and will need to get down to 15 before the regular season opens.
Ryan Nembhard and Mouhamed Gueye are on non-guaranteed deals. Gueye had July surgery for a fractured left foot, with re-evaluation in three to four months.
Training camp opens in Nashville later this month. Atlanta starts the regular season on the road against the Orlando Magic.
