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The Atlanta Hawks surprised everyone in the 2021 NBA playoffs. Trae Young, in his first-ever NBA playoff run, led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals.
They defeated the 4th-seeded New York Knicks in the first round and eliminated them in five games. In the next round, they took on the first-seeded Philadelphia 76ers and eliminated them after a grueling seven-game series.
The front office recognizes that they have a playoff-contentending team and that they need to upgrade their roster. The Hawks also now have a late first-round pick in a loaded draft class.
Which Atlanta Hawks players won't come back next season?
Naturally, the Atlanta Hawks will need to get rid of certain players who aren't contributing to their team. The 2021 NBA playoffs showed players that are ready to step up to the challenge. Players like Cam Reddish and Danilo Gallinari showed up big for the team as certain players struggled.
Let's take a look at three Atlanta Hawks players that are unlikely to return with the team for the 2021-22 NBA season.
#1 Kris Dunn
Kris Dunn's debut season with the Atlanta Hawks was limited due to injuries. He appeared in just four games for the Hawks this season and with 11 minutes of playing time, he averaged 1.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists on 8.3% shooting from the field. In the five playoff games he played, he averaged 1.2 points on 20% shooting.
Dunn's two-year $10 million deal hasn't worked out well for the Hawks. He has a player option for $5 million this offseason and the Atlanta Hawks can't trade him until he opts in before the July 28th deadline.
He doesn't fit the Hawks roster as he has a weak three-point shot and doesn't contribute much on offense. They could get another role player in exchange for Dunn this offseason.
#2 Tony Snell
Tony Snell put up an average of 5.3 points in 21.9 minutes of play through 43 games in the 2020-21 NBA season. He attempted fewer shots, but remarkably averaged 51% shooting from the field and 56% from three-point range.
Snell came off the bench in nine playoff games this season and totalled just five points on 2-16 shooting after 66 minutes of playing time. He had two assists and four turnovers in that span along with five rebounds, two steals and a block.
Snell will draw a salary of $12.5 million this season and enter free agency this season. The Hawks are unlikely to re-sign him as they can use a salary of his size to acquire a better role player.
#3 Bruno Fernando
The Atlanta Hawks might move on from Bruno Fernando if they don't intend to play him at all. He averaged just 6.8 minutes across 33 games last season and was subbed, usually at the end during garbage time.
He averaged 1.5 points, 0.3 assists and 2.4 rebounds on 40% shooting from the field. Fernando played in five playoff games for the Hawks and scored just six points and one rebound in two minutes per game.
He is a great defender but wasn't utilized for that purpose as well. The Atlanta Hawks might dump his salary or trade him in a package with another player.
