New Hawks Rumors on CJ McCollum Contract and Top Draft Prospects to Watch amid Darius Acuff Jr. Buzz

The Atlanta Hawks could target a point guard after landing the No. 8 pick in the 2026 NBA draft as part of last year's Derik Queen trade with the New Orleans Pelicans.

HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported Saturday he has spoken with rival NBA executives who expect the Hawks to target either a point guard or former Michigan center Aday Mara.

Should the Hawks look to add to their backcourt, Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr., Darius Acuff and Kingston Flemings are expected to be available, Scotto noted.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projects in his latest 2026 NBA mock draft that Acuff, Wagler and Brown would all be off the board by No. 8.

With Flemings still available, Wasserman projected the Hawks would then take Mara rather than bolstering their backcourt.

"The Atlanta Hawks could play it safe and add another scoring guard in Mikel Brown Jr. But Mara may have a better chance to make this team immediately tougher to play against," Wasserman wrote.

If the Hawks use the No. 8 pick to draft Mara, the team might target a guard at No. 23 or make another move this offseason to bolster their backcourt.

CJ McCollum, who was traded to the Hawks in January, remains an unsigned free agent as he heads into his age-35 season.

Scotto noted that Atlanta "wants to re-sign" McCollum, but that the team could still use more point guard depth behind him.

Any moves to improve the backcourt this summer aren't expected to include a blockbuster trade. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported earlier this month the Hawks are "not eager to splurge for major roster additions, preferring to focus on internal improvement and addressing the futures of CJ McCollum and Jonathan Kuminga along with coach Quin Snyder."

How talks with McCollum and Kuminga go this offseason could potentially impact how the Hawks ultimately approach the 2026 draft when it kicks off June 23 in Brooklyn.