We finally have the first trade of the 2026 NBA offseason and it was not the one that most were expecting.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Atlanta Hawks are acquiring Aaron Wiggins from the Oklahoma City Thunder for a pair of second-round picks (Atlanta’s in 2030 and the least favorable of Hawks/Lakers in 2032).
According to multiple reports, the Hawks are going to be absorbing Wiggins salary into the $11 million trade exception that they created when they moved Luke Kennard to the Lakers at the trade deadline.
This is the second big move of the day for the Hawks, as they reportedly re-signed CJ McCollum to a one-year, $21 million deal today.
Good deal for the Hawks?
On the surface, I think this is an outstanding deal for the Hawks because of Wiggins’ skill set and how he is going to fit on this team, as well as the favorable contract that Wiggins has.
It was obvious around the league that the Oklahoma City Thunder were in a roster crunch and were going to need to find ways to shed salary and not take much back in return. OKC was already at 15 players for next season, depending on what they opted to do with the various team options they have to decide, plus they have three draft picks. The Thunder were in a roster crunch and were going to have to make roster room and shed salary this offseason, and one of the most talked-about names was Wiggins.
In his five seasons with the Thunder, Wiggins has averaged 8.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and shot 48.7% from the field and 38% from three. Ever since being drafted No. 55 overall by the Thunder in the 2021 draft, the 6’6 190 LBS versatile wing has developed into a high-level role player for the best organization in the NBA.
This past season for OKC, Wiggins averaged 9.4 PPG and 3.1 RPG on 43.1% shooting from the field and 35.6% from three in 65 games played during the regular season. The Thunder are the deepest team in the NBA and Wiggins would fall out of the rotation in the postseason, but he presented a lot of value on the trade market and the Hawks front office, led by president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh, are always looking for an advantageous deal.
This is the second straight offseason in which the Hawks are making a deal with a championship team trying to avoid the penalties of the second apron. Just a year removed from winning a championship, the Boston Celtics had to shed salary last offseason and the Hawks ended up with Kristaps Porzingis for Terance Mann and the No. 22 pick. This year as the Thunder were one year removed from winning the championship, Atlanta is able to land a versatile young wing on a great contract for the price of two second round picks.
One of the big needs on this Hawks roster was getting better depth and an improved bench. Despite Atlanta’s 20-6 record to finish the season after the All-Star Break, the Hawks bench was over-reliant on Jonathan Kuminga and Jock Landale, then when Landale went down with injury, the problems continued to persist. Wiggins might not have been able to stay on the floor for OKC, but he is going to be relied upon to improve the bench play for this Hawks team that is looking to get back to the postseason.
Contract/cap implications
I have mentioned Wiggins contract and how it is one of the best in the league and here is how it breaks down:
2026-2027: $9,028,038
2027-2028: $8,168,226
2028-2029 (team option): $8,168,226
That is a great deal.
Here is how the Hawks salary situation looks after the two reported transactions today:
1. Jalen Johnson- $30,000,000
2. Dyson Daniels- $25,000,000
3. CJ McCollum- $21,000,000
4. Onyeka Okongwu-$16,100,000
5. Nickeil Alexander-Walker- $14,403,710
6. Corey Kispert- $13,975,000
7. Zaccharie Risacher- $13,826,040
8. Aaron Wiggins- $9,028,038
9. Asa Newell- $3,399,480
That is $146,732,268 for those nine players. I think it is safe to assume that Atlanta is going to operate as an over the cap team this summer and with this trade, they are hard-capped at the first apron due to using a trade exception was created during a previous season.
The key numbers for this offseason:
Luxury tax: $201 million
1st Apron: $209 million
2nd Apron: $222 million
Altanta also has big decisions to make in the next week. On Thursday, Buddy Hield’s contract ($9,658,536) is guaranteed if he is not waived, or if he is waived, Atlanta would only owe him $3 million. By next Monday, Atlanta has to decide what they want to do with Jonathan Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option and Mouhamed Gueye’s $2.4 million team option.
Atlanta also has three picks (No. 8, No. 23, and No. 57) in this year’s draft.
There are still plenty of moves to be made with this roster, but the Hawks have landed a nice, two-way depth piece that will improve their bench, shooting, and defense.
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