Sources – Nickeil Alexander-Walker joins Hawks via sign-and-trade

The Atlanta Hawks will acquire Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Minnesota Timberwolves via a sign-and-trade for four years and $62 million, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Monday.

As part of the deal, Atlanta is sending a 2027 second-round pick via Cleveland and cash to Minnesota, sources said.

The contract, which includes a player option and trade kicker, comes on the heels of a career season for Alexander-Walker in Minnesota where he recorded highs in total points, rebounds, assists and 3-pointers.

The Timberwolves acquired Alexander-Walker as something of a throw-in to the Mike Conley trade with the Utah Jazz in 2023 and he blossomed into a premier role player over the next three seasons in Minnesota.

At 6-foot-5 with a long wingspan, Alexander-Walker is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league and shot 38.6% from 3 on 4.3 attempts per game over his past two seasons. He also has developed as a ball handler; he brought the ball up the court for 14.5 possessions per game last season, the highest average of his career, according to GeniusIQ.

Alexander-Walker, who turns 27 in September, was drafted with the No. 17 pick in 2019 and spent parts of four years with the New Orleans Pelicans and Jazz before landing in Minnesota.

During this year’s playoffs, he became the first player with multiple 20-point games off the bench in a single postseason in Timberwolves history.

He’s also one of only five players to have played in all 82 games in each of the past two seasons.

ESPN Research contributed to this report.

Source: espn.com