As the Atlanta Hawks enter the offseason with financial and roster flexibility, they could emerge as a key trade partner for the Oklahoma City Thunder as OKC navigates difficult decisions about its deep and talented roster.
The Atlanta Hawks enter the 2026 offseason with something many teams covet: flexibility. With multiple paths available to improve the roster around their core, Atlanta could be well-positioned to capitalize on opportunities that emerge across the league.
One situation to watch closely is in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder will have to face difficult decisions regarding a roster loaded with young talent and long-term financial commitments.
Atlanta will have over $30 million in cap space this offseason, and they have three picks in the 2026 NBA draft (No. 8, No. 23, and No.57). The franchise made the postseason for the first time since the 2022-23 season.
Yet, the 2-4 first-round loss to the New York Knicks revealed that the team lacked bench depth, shooting, playmaking, and ball handling. One player who could help the Hawks and contribute to the team's young core is Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe.
Isaiah Joe Versatility
Joe is a player who can help the Hawks right away. He can space the floor out, defend in spurts, and add some ball handling. There has not been a direct link to the Hawks, and the Thunder will still need to figure out which player(s) they will ultimately part ways with.
Right now, the Thunder guard is owed $11,323,006, which is a friendly contract that favors the Hawks. Atlanta needs to add more guard depth to their roster, but specifically the point guard position.
Dyson Daniels averages the most assists at the guard position, and Jalen Johnson leads the team with 7.9 assists at the forward position. During the season, the Hawks traded Trae Young, who was averaging 8.9 assists. The team needs a guard who can score but still get others involved.
Building the Backcourt
Joe only averages 1.3 assists, but OKC's primary ball-handlers are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (33.2), Jalen Williams (26.1), Jared McCain (23.3), and Chet Holmgren (21.8), who dominate the team in usage rating. When Joe is in the game (18.5), his primary role is to spot up and shoot and defend.
The former Arkansas guard would be able to help Atlanta with depth, shooting, durability, and defense. This season, he played 71 games and started nine of them. He averaged a career-high 11.1 points, shot a career-high 42.3 percent from three, and 89.4 percent from the free-throw line.
Under Hawks Quin Snyder, who was recently extended by the franchise to a multi-year extension on June 8, Joe would have a bigger opportunity to play and expand his game, while allowing Atlanta to maintain flexibility.
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