"Hawks secure signing of N'Faly Dante following Rockets' decision to forego matching contract offer"
After a successful stint with the Houston Rockets, center N'Faly Dante is set to join the Atlanta Hawks following the Rockets' decision not to match the Hawks' two-year, $4.5 million offer sheet. The move elevates Dante from a two-way contract to a standard contract player with the Hawks [1][3][4][5].
Dante, a 6-foot-11 center and former Oregon Ducks star, spent the 2024-25 season on a two-way contract with the Rockets, playing limited minutes for Houston and more extensively in the G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets' G League affiliate. His impressive defensive capabilities, rim protection, rebounding, and efficient finishing during the NBA Summer League caught the eye of the Hawks, prompting them to extend the offer sheet [1][2].
This signing is noteworthy as Dante becomes the first two-way player to sign a standard offer sheet with a different team since the two-way contract rule was introduced in 2017-18 [1]. The Rockets, now operating just $1.26 million below a first-apron hard cap, have filled all of their two-way slots by signing Kevon Harris, JD Davison, and Isaiah Crawford.
In his time with the G League, Dante averaged 15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and 26.8 minutes per contest. During a road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 3, he recorded career highs of 10 points and nine rebounds, shooting 66.7% from the field [2]. In four NBA regular-season games last season, he averaged 6.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 12.8 minutes per contest while shooting 76.9% from the floor [6].
Dante's arrival in Atlanta will bolster the team's frontcourt, joining veteran center Onyeka Okongwu, newly acquired star Kristaps Porzingis, rookie Asa Newell, and third-year big man Mouhamed Gueye. While he may not immediately crack the Hawks’ regular rotation, he is expected to contribute defensively off the bench and see significant playing time in the G League [4].
With Dante's addition, the Hawks will have 14 players on standard contracts. Another newcomer to the team is Caleb Houstan, who is also expected to sign a deal with the Hawks [7]. As the new season approaches, the Hawks look to strengthen their roster and compete in the NBA.
[1] - ESPN [2] - Houston Chronicle [3] - Atlanta Journal-Constitution [4] - The Athletic [5] - Sports Illustrated [6] - Basketball-Reference [7] - Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Read also:
- Weekly happenings in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Southwest region's most popular posts, accompanied by an inquiry:
- Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns
- Massive 8.8 earthquake hits off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting Japan to issue a tsunami alert.
