Hawks Secure Landale
Atlanta Hawks Sign Jock Landale to One-Year, $14 Million Deal, Solidifying Frontcourt Depth
Key Points
Landale was acquired from the Utah Jazz just before the February trade deadline and immediately assumed a sizable role for Atlanta, underscoring the Hawks' confidence in maintaining their current center depth.
An ankle injury late in the 2025-26 season sidelined Landale, potentially limiting Atlanta's rim protection and contributing to a tougher playoff path against the Knicks.
The Hawks were willing to pay a steep one-year, $14 million price tag to keep Landale, signaling that they view him as essential to frontcourt depth rather than pursuing a major shakeup.
In the 2025-26 season, Landale appeared in 68 games and averaged 10.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists in 22.1 minutes per game on 51.5% shooting.
The Atlanta Hawks are bringing back center Jock Landale for the 2026-27 season. Free agent Landale intends to sign a one-year, $14 million deal to return to Atlanta, according to ESPN. The agreement was first reported by Shams Charania on June 30, 2026.
Landale averaged 10.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists across 68 games in 2025-26, shooting 51.5% from the field. The Hawks view his return as a way to lock down their frontcourt depth before the open market, rather than pursuing a major shakeup at center.
A Mid-Season Trade That Changed Atlanta's Frontcourt
Landale's path to Atlanta was a winding one. In July 2025, he signed with the Memphis Grizzlies. In February 2026, Memphis traded him to the Utah Jazz in the Jaren Jackson Jr. blockbuster deal, according to Peachtree Hoops. The Jazz then rerouted him to Atlanta for cash considerations, just before the trade deadline.
Landale made an instant impact. He debuted by helping Atlanta beat the Jazz 121-119 on February 5. Over 23 games with the Hawks, he shot 39.1% from three-point range while giving the team the physical presence it had been missing, per Sports Illustrated.
Ankle Injury and a Playoff Loss Shaped This Offseason
On April 1, Landale suffered a high right ankle sprain after a flagrant-2 foul by Orlando's Goga Bitadze. He was ruled out for the entire first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, per Sports Illustrated. Atlanta lost the series 4-2.
Coach Quin Snyder did not hold back. He called Bitadze's foul "a dirty play" and said, "I wish it would have been taken more seriously than it was... it's wrong." Without Landale, the Hawks were outmatched by Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns on the glass, according to AJC.
Hawks Use Mid-Level Exception to Beat Out Lakers and Bulls
Atlanta used nearly its entire Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception — worth about $15 million — to get the deal done at $14 million. Cap expert Yossi Gozlan explained that the Hawks had to use this exception because Landale's existing contract rights would not let them reach that salary otherwise, per Audacy.
Landale had interest from the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, and Philadelphia 76ers. His agents at SIG Sports closed the deal before he ever hit the open market, per Peachtree Hoops. Analyst Brad Rowland noted the contract signals Landale is the firm No. 2 center and likely would have gotten multi-year offers elsewhere.
$14 Million Backup Comes With Cap Consequences and Big Upside
By using the mid-level exception, Atlanta triggered a hard cap at roughly $195.9 million for 2026-27. That limits what the team can do in trades for the rest of the season, per AJC. The Hawks also declined Jonathan Kuminga's $24.3 million option on June 29, which helped create financial room for this move.
Critics say $14 million is steep for a backup center. But the Hawks see it differently. Landale pairs with starting center Onyeka Okongwu to give Atlanta its deepest center rotation in years. The team also drafted Zuby Ejiofor 23rd overall, adding another layer. The front office is betting a healthy Landale in 2026-27 changes the playoff picture, per Sports Illustrated.
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