NBA free agency officially begins today at 6 PM, and the Hawks are expected to be quite active in filling their $25.3 million traded player exception.
[According to Marc Stein,](https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-latest-freshest-and-hottest-nba) Atlanta is now seen by rival teams as the club in pole position, ahead of the Detroit Pistons, to acquire Nickeil Alexander-Walker in a sign-and-trade deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Hawks have the $25.3 million exception from when they traded Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans last year, and it’s clear that Onsi Saleh intends to use it one way or the other. Alexander-Walker would be a great player to do so. He turns 27 years old in September. and averaged 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists.
While the stat line might not be gaudy, NAW plays winning basketball and can fill several roles for the Hawks, all of which are critical when talking about finding pieces to build around Trae Young. His point-of-attack defense, secondary playmaking, and outside shooting make him an ideal target for the Hawks.
Another exciting facet of a prospective deal is that Alexander-Walker has played in all 82 games in each of the last two seasons, while shooting 44% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc. Durability and multiplicity are valuable attributes in today’s NBA, and it all boils down to just playing winning basketball; that’s what NAW does.
He’s not a pull-up shooter, but he’s reliable in catch-and-shoot situations, which should be plentiful with Trae Young generating offense. Alexander-Walker isn’t the kind of playmaker that can carry the load offensively, but he’s a reliable perimeter player that can initiate offense to get primary ball-handlers into different spots.
His defense is most intriguing for the Hawks, though. He and Dyson Daniels would prove to be a menacing duo on that end of the court. He’s got quick hands, an effective closeout, and is quite savvy when it comes to reading offenses.
The Hawks clearly see the role for Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and it’s hard not to get excited about what could be with Onsi Saleh pulling the trigger.
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**Photographer:** Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire