The Atlanta Hawks are looking to take advantage of a weakened Eastern Conference once the 2025-26 season tips off.
The moves made by the front office during the offseason put the franchise in a position to make some noise after being eliminated in the Play-In Tournament this past year. That is not a spot the organization wants to be in moving forward, and they worked to ensure that is the case this summer.
Some of those additions are coming to Atlanta on one-year deals or will be entering the final year of their contract. That provides opportunities for big pay raises to those soon-to-be free agents, and one player, in particular, could be set up to cash in big as long as he performs up to expectations.
Hawks Newcomer Luke Kennard Will Earn Big Payday Next Season
Luke Kennard is one of the premier 3-point shooters in the NBA today. Adding him to the Hawks' roster makes what was already a dangerous offense led by fellow sharpshooter Trae Young even more of a threat to the rest of the Eastern Conference.
With a career 3-point percentage of 43.8%, Kennard knows that stretching the floor off the bench is his strength on the offensive end. Given the upgrade in talent that will be around him, Kennard can expect to get plenty of good looks at the basket this coming season. Opposing defenses will only be able to pay so much attention to him when Kennard is sharing the floor with the likes of Young, Dyson Daniels, Nickiel Alexander-Walker, and Kobe Bufkin around him.
The former No. 12 overall pick from the 2017 NBA Draft joined Atlanta on a one-year, $11 million deal this summer. With the importance placed on 3-point shooting in today's NBA, he should have little trouble finding a deal that far exceeds that number, as well as the duration of the contract on the open market next summer, as long as he continues to be a threat from the perimeter.
Assuming the salary cap grows by 7% ahead of the 2026-27 season, as previously projected, that would add roughly $11 million that teams can spend and stay under the cap. This would only benefit Kennard in his search for a more lucrative, long-term deal next summer.
Having said all of that, this potential pay raise is contingent on Kennard getting the job done for the Hawks this coming season. If he can accomplish that, it could lead to a financial boom for the former Duke University standout.
More Atlanta Hawks News and Rumors: