Rookie scale team options must be decided by on Thursday, October 31 for the 2025-26 season. Often, the options are exercised as these players are on reasonable salaries. That isn’t always the case though. The Atlanta Hawks had three players they had to decide on whether to exercise or decline their rookie scale team option. They picked up two of the team options, but declined the other. That played who has been declined is David Roddy who will now enter unrestricted free agency after this season.
Hawks Decline Rookie Scale Option On 2022 First Round Pick
Roddy’s First Season With The Hawks
Despite being drafted just two years ago in 2022, Roddy has already been traded three times. Now 23 years old, Roddy was selected with the 23rd overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers. He was subsequently traded along with Danny Green to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for De’Anthony Melton. At last season’s trade deadline, Roddy was involved in a three-team deal that sent him to the Phoenix Suns. In late July of this year, he was dealt to the Atlanta Hawks for E.J. Liddell.
The Hawks are off to a 2-2 start prior to their Wednesday night game on the road against the Washington Wizards. As per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the team has decided not to exercise Roddy’s $4.83 million rookie scale team option for next season. After not playing in Atlanta’s first two games, the 6-foot-4 Roddy has performed well in their last two. In 19.5 minutes per game in those two contests, he has averaged 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. While it’s certainly a small sample size, Roddy has also shot the ball well. He is 7-9 from the field and 2-3 from beyond the arc.
Career Prior To Atlanta
Looking at his career up to this point, it is somewhat understandable why the Hawks chose not to pick up the option. In his rookie season of 2022-23, Roddy was part of the rotation for much of the year participating in 70 games for Memphis. His shooting split of .429/.307/.631 left much to be desired. That shooting split dipped further in 2023-24 to the tune of .403/.293/.691 splitting time with the Grizzlies and Suns. Much of that was with Memphis for Roddy as he was barely utilized by Phoenix.
That lack of shooting accuracy is a far cry from his last season at Colorado State in 2021-22. Roddy was a very efficient scorer that season connecting on 57.1% from the field and 43.8% from three-point territory.
Hawks Did Exercise Two Rookie Scale Team Options
As previously mentioned, the Hawks did exercise two rookie scale team options for the 2025-26 season. Those players are Dyson Daniels and Kobe Bufkin. Daniels’ option is for around $7.7 million and Bufkin’s is for just over $4.5 million.
Selected eighth overall in 2022, Daniels has started each of the first four games for Atlanta although he is out Wednesday with a hip flexor. He was acquired by Atlanta in the deal that sent Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Hawks selected Bufkin with the 17th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He has had trouble staying healthy as he played just 17 games last season and has yet to take the court in 2024-25 due to a shoulder injury.
