Hawks Pick Up Asa Newell's $3.56M Option for 2027-28

The Atlanta Hawks have decided to keep a piece of their young core in place. The club will exercise its rookie-scale team option on forward Asa Newell for the 2027-28 season, a move worth $3.56 million that was reported on Sunday by Michael Scotto. The decision locks in another year of contractual control over a player the Hawks still view as a developing piece of their frontcourt rotation. Newell arrived in Atlanta as the 23rd overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and signed a four-year rookie deal worth $16.2 million, with team options covering the third and fourth seasons. As a rookie in 2025-26 he appeared in 44 games, averaging 5.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in just 11.4 minutes per night. His role has stayed limited so far in 2026-27, with no starts through the team's first seven games, as veterans Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu soak up the bulk of the frontcourt minutes. Exercising the option is a low-risk bet on growth. The Hawks keep a 21-year-old forward with size and athleticism on a cost-controlled deal for one more season, giving him time to earn a bigger role without committing long-term money. If his development stalls, the contract remains easy to move; if it clicks, Atlanta holds his rights for a fourth season as well.