The Atlanta Hawks' future is bright following a handful of solid moves to begin the NBA offseason. From trading for Kristaps Porzingis to signing Luke Kennard and acquiring Asa Newell through the 2025 draft, the current Hawks' roster all but certainly has a higher ceiling than the squad that's finished exactly .500 or worse the last three seasons.
It'll take some time before Atlanta's new additions hit the floor in a meaningful capacity. Having said that, though, one of the newest Hawks is already shaping up to be one of the team's best value signings despite having yet to make his franchise debut.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is Hawks' Best Value Signing of 2025
As great as Trae Young is, there's no denying that the Hawks star's defense isn't close to being on the same level as his elite offensive skills. That's why Atlanta opened free agency by finding him a suitable backcourt partner, bringing in Nickeil Alexander-Walker on a four-year, $62 million contract following a sign-and-trade deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It hasn't taken long for Hawks fans to love the idea of Alexander-Walker sharing the floor with Young.
The former Virginia Tech product's defensive skills more than make up for Young's defensive shortcomings, having played to a positive defensive box plus/minus rating in each of the last three seasons. He's also capable of guarding multiple positions and has experience playing small forward in addition to both guard roles.
His offense isn't elite, but that doesn't mean Alexander-Walker can't help the Hawks in their opponents' end, too. The 26-year-old Canadian veteran has averaged 8.4 points on .433/.384/.770 shooting splits while mostly playing a backup role during his Timberwolves tenure (30 starts in 187 games), and his ball-handling skills will give the opposition another mobile threat to worry about.
If his time with the Hawks goes as well as it projects on paper, Alexander-Walker could be one of the biggest steals of the offseason. All signs point to the 3-and-D vet exceeding the $15.1 million average annual value on his new contract, especially if he finds instant chemistry with Young in the backcourt.