Hawks land big man after Rockets decline offer sheet in NBA Free Agency

The Atlanta Hawks come into the 2025-26 season following a strong offseason during which they traded for big man Kristaps Porzingis and signed key free agents in Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard. The Hawks seem to be a team on the rise with a strong nucleus already in place around star guard Trae Young. The Hawks added another potential piece to the puzzle with the signing of N’Faly Dante after the Houston Rockets declined to match their offer sheet, as per Michael Scotto of Hoopshype.com.

N’Faly Dante entered the offseason as a restricted free agent after the Rockets tendered a qualifying offer in free agency, but the Hawks signed him to an offer sheet. The Rockets declined the offer sheet, not because they didn’t want to keep Dante, but because they could not, as per ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel. Matching the offer sheet would have put the Rockets over the first apron, and they already had all three of their two-way contract slots filled.

Dante joins the Hawks after spending his rookie season in the NBA with the Rockets. He went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft, and was signed to a two-way contract by the Rockets. As part of his two-way contract, Dante spent plenty of time in the G League playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ affiliate.

In total, Dante appeared in four games as a rookie at a little over 12 minutes per game. He averaged 6.0 points and 5.3 rebounds with his best game coming against the Oklahoma City Thunder when he finished with ten points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots.

While playing for the Valley Vipers, Dante appeared in 42 games and averaged 15.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.1 blocked shots while shooting 74.4 percent from the field.

The signing of Dante gives the Hawks 14 players on standard contracts going into the 2025-26 NBA season. They also have all three of their available two-way contract slots signed.