The return of Keaton.
The Hawks have made one more transaction towards their (up to) 18-man roster for the 2025-26 season, and this one is a familiar name. Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution broke the news of Keaton Wallace signing an outstanding qualifying offer for a two-way contract:
Per league source, Keaton Wallace has signed his 2-way option.
— Lauren L. Williams (@WilliamsLaurenL) July 18, 2025
With the injury to Kobe Bufkin last season, Wallace was thrust into a role as, at times, the backup point guard to Trae Young. He appeared in 31 games last season, starting five, including being part of a couple of big wins.
His first career start was a game against the Boston Celtics without Young when he played 32 minutes, helping the Hawks knocked off the defending champions in a pivotal NBA Cup group game. In a January game against the Chicago Bulls, Wallace poured in a career-high 27 points when he and Daeqwon Plowden powered the injured Hawks to a road win.
In the final regular season game of the season, he recorded a triple-double with 15 assists, one of just eight players to do so last season:
Players to record a 15-assist triple-double this season:
Nikola Jokic
Giannis Antetokounmpo
LeBron James
Cade Cunningham
Russell Westbrook
Josh Giddey
RJ Barrettand now Keaton Wallace
— Wes (@bloghawk) April 13, 2025
That game also made him the only player in franchise history to log at least 15 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds and 5 steals in a single contest.
Those box score explosions were, of course, few and far between, as he averaged 5.4 points and 2.6 assist per game in 2024-25. But he’s a player who simply knows his role as an on-ball guard defender and shooter when needed.
Welcome back, Keaton Wallace!