CJ McCollum’s Free Agency Plan Puts Atlanta Hawks at an Offseason Crossroads

The Atlanta Hawks aren’t just looking to reload after a surprise postseason push. They’re trying to figure out how to keep their best trade-deadline pickup while simultaneously planning for a future that might not include him.

CJ McCollum, the veteran guard who stabilized Atlanta’s offense after arriving in a midseason deal, is headed for unrestricted free agency. And according to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Hawks brass remains optimistic about bringing him back. But optimism and cap space don’t always align.

The Guard Problem Atlanta Can’t Ignore

McCollum gave the Hawks exactly what they needed: a reliable scorer who could take pressure off Jalen Johnson and create his own shot in tight playoff moments. At 33, he’s no longer a building block, but he’s a proven floor-raiser. The question is whether Atlanta wants to pay a veteran premium or pivot to youth.

League sources told Fischer that the Hawks are “hopeful about its chances of re-signing veteran CJ McCollum in free agency after his standout postseason.” But those same sources indicate Atlanta is also prioritizing adding another downhill ballhandler to pair with Johnson long-term.

Draft Eyes on Wagler and Brown

That’s where the draft comes in. According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the Hawks have zeroed in on two guards projected in the lottery range: Keaton Wagler and Mikel Brown Jr. Both are considered strong fits for Atlanta’s system, offering the kind of pick-and-roll creation the team lacks when McCollum sits.

“Both Wagler and Brown are two guards the Hawks love, sources said,” Siegel wrote. He also noted that seven-footer Aday Mara has admirers in the organization, but conversations across the league keep pointing toward Atlanta using its lottery pick on a guard rather than a big man.

That makes sense. Onyeka Okongwu held down the center spot admirably last season, but injuries to multiple backups exposed a thin frontcourt. Still, the Hawks front office seems to believe the long-term answer involves a dual-threat backcourt built around Johnson — with or without McCollum in the picture.

The Waiting Game

For now, the Hawks are in a unique position: they can afford to be patient. McCollum has expressed comfort in Atlanta, and the team has made clear it wants him back. But the draft will come first. If Atlanta lands its preferred guard, the financial math of re-signing McCollum gets tighter.

If they don’t, the pressure to bring him back — and possibly overpay — intensifies.

Either way, the Hawks are walking a tightrope between competing now and building for later. And their decision in the next few weeks will shape the franchise’s trajectory well beyond next season.