ATLANTA — The Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets have discussed swapping Buddy Hield for Dorian Finney-Smith as both teams work to get into regular-season roster compliance next month. The talks involve two veterans considered on the roster bubble entering training camp.
Atlanta would acquire Finney-Smith with the idea of adding another defensive-minded player to the roster, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. Finney-Smith's contract for the 2027-28 season is non-guaranteed, meaning the move would have no impact on the Hawks' plans for cap space next summer.
Hield's contract is partially guaranteed for just over $3 million for the 2027-28 season. He would be unlikely to make the Hornets' regular-season roster in a swap, as Charlotte is currently carrying 16 fully guaranteed contracts and must trim its roster before opening night.
Both teams have moves to make to reach compliance, and the exploratory discussions reflect that roster crunch as front offices evaluate options ahead of next month's deadline.