The Hawks carry $198.5M in payroll, which puts them over the $165.0M cap with $1.9M left before the $200.4M tax. Most of next summer's flexibility comes from three veteran deals that don't appear on the 2027-28 books.
Living Right Under the Tax
A $1.9M gap to the tax leaves almost no room for in-season moves. Any trade that brings back more salary than it sends out would push Atlanta past $200.4M, and the first apron at $209.0M is not far beyond that. The five biggest numbers are Jalen Johnson at $30.0M, Dyson Daniels at $25.0M, CJ McCollum at $21.0M, Luguentz Dort at $18.2M and Onyeka Okongwu at $16.1M. Devin Carter's $5.2M is still on the 2026-27 sheet even though he left the team on September 11, so that money is gone without a player attached.
Dort's Option, McCollum's Expiring
McCollum at $21.0M, Dort at $18.2M, Jock Landale at $14.1M and Mouhamed Gueye's $2.4M team option all drop off the 2027-28 sheet. McCollum has earned his salary early, shooting 44.0 percent from three with 17.3 a night, and he scored 20 in Houston. Dort has been harder to justify. He's at 23.5 percent from three, went 0-5 in the 110-120 loss and finished minus-17. Soaring Down South argued this week that questions about his offense were real. At $18.2M, Dort's contract is the biggest pile of matching salary Atlanta holds.
The Core Is Already Paid
Johnson and Daniels are both locked in next season at the same $30.0M and $25.0M, and Okongwu goes up to $16.9M. Nickeil Alexander-Walker rises to $15.2M, Corey Kispert's number dips to $13.1M and Dorian Finney-Smith stays at $13.3M. That backbone is affordable for a team whose net rating last season was 8.9. The draft cupboard is tighter. The 2027 first goes to San Antonio and 2028 is a swap, which leaves the 2029 and 2030 firsts as the only clean ones Atlanta can trade. Of the second-rounders, the 2027 pick is protected to Dallas, 2028 goes to Brooklyn and 2030 goes to Oklahoma City.
Are the Atlanta Hawks over the luxury tax in 2026-27?
No. Their $198.5M payroll is over the $165.0M cap but $1.9M under the $200.4M tax line.
Which Hawks contracts come off the books after this season?
CJ McCollum ($21.0M), Luguentz Dort ($18.2M, team option), Jock Landale ($14.1M), Devin Carter ($5.2M) and Mouhamed Gueye ($2.4M, team option) do not appear on the 2027-28 sheet.
