Every summer, there are players traded because they are on huge contracts that are percieved to be of negative value. Players on "bad contracts" are usually not skilled enough to impact NBA basketball, injury-prone or an awkward fit on winning teams. Even so, there can be value in taking on these bad contracts if the player can either improve/stay healthy or the additional draft picks turn into valuable players. One of the most famous examples of this is the Clippers trading Baron Davis to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011 because he was on a massive contract that he wasn't justifying. They traded Davis alongside an unprotected first-round pick, which turned into the No. 1 overall selection in 2012 and allowed the Cavs to take Kyrie Irving. Suffice to say, that worked out pretty well for Cleveland. Now, it is important to acknowledge that this runs contrary to the pathway Hawks president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh has preached. Saleh has repeatedly stressed how important future flexibility is. Taking on bad deals certainly reduces salary cap flexibility, but there is always the chance of landing an impact player with the attached draft capital. In no particular order, here are ten such opportunities that the Hawks might want to look at for this season. All of these players could be acquired by trading some combination of Jonathan Kuminga, Zaccharie Risacher and/or Corey Kispert. Paul George - F, Philadelphia 76ers ($54.1 million for 2026-27, 2 years remaining)Nov 30, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) controls the ball against the Atlanta Hawks in the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn ImagesPaul George is one of the most interesting names on this list because he's clearly still a good player. George was one of the best defenders in the 2026 playoffs, stone-walling Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum while also doing a respectable job on KAT in the second round. He only played in 37 games, but he was suspended for 25 games and made a huge impact on the 76ers when he came back. There's just not many players who can legitimately handle the ball at his size, guard the other's team best wing and consistently shoot over 35% from deep on high volume for multiple seasons in a row. George's salary is massive, but I'd argue he's one of the best targets that the Hawks could acquire if they do want to take on some contracts for draft capital. Under new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, it's possible that the 76ers would be open to sending George elsewhere in order to clear his contract from the books while he still has some value. Brandon Ingram - F, Toronto Raptors ($40 million for 2026-27, 2 years remaining)Jan 5, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) passes the ball as he collides with Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn ImagesBrandon Ingram theoretically occupies the same role that George does at a younger and cheaper price. He did make the All-Star game this season for the Raptors, averaging 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 47.7/38.2/82 shooting splits. He is also far healthier than George, playing in 77 games this season. On paper, he'd be a better bet to contribute to Atlanta over the next few seasons. Upon further inspection, Ingram's issues are entirely untenable if the Hawks want to progress as a team. He demands a lot of touches, gets banged up frequently, struggles on defense and doesn't pass the ball enough. The Raptors performed better with him off the court because of these flaws. His AST% declined from 26.8% in 2024-25 to a dismal 16.8% last season. Therefore, he's basically just an isolation scorer who doesn't offer much else for a team. It's fine for a rebuilding team looking to jump into a respectable tier, but the Hawks should look elsewhere even if the Raptors attach a first-rounder to drive up the price. De'Aaron Fox - G, San Antonio Spurs ($49.5 million for 2026-27, four years left)Dec 19, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox (4) is defended by Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) in the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images