Hawks STEAL N’Faly Dante from Rockets? 2-Year $4.5M Offer Sheet Breakdown!
Imagine this. The Atlanta Hawks have just made a bold move by extending a 2-year, $4.5 million offer sheet to restricted free agent center in Phy Dante. This decision sets the stage for an intriguing negotiation between the Hawks and Dante’s current team, the Houston Rockets. But here’s where it gets controversial. Houston might not be able to match the offer due to salary cap constraints. According to Keith Smith of Spotrak, the Rockets currently lack the financial flexibility under their first apron hard cap to meet Dante’s demands. This situation isn’t entirely surprising given that Houston has already committed to three players on two-way contracts. As Danielle Learner of the Houston Chronicle points out, the Rockets seem to anticipate Dante’s potential departure when they made those commitments earlier in the season. Born in Molly, Dante had a remarkable college career at Oregon, but went undrafted in 2024. Last summer, he signed a two-way deal with the Rockets, making only four NBA appearances as a rookie. Despite limited playing time, Dante showcased his skills in the GLeague with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, averaging an impressive 15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 2.2 2 blocks per game while shooting an astounding 74.3% from the field over 42 games. It’s worth noting that Dante’s scenario is quite rare. Two-way restricted free agents typically don’t receive offer sheets from other teams. Yet, the Hawks clearly see value in Dante, envisioning him as a valuable addition to their front court depth behind established players like Oneka Okonu and Christophs Porzingis. The Rockets, however, might still have a card up their sleeve, potentially making further moves to secure Dante’s services. Given the circumstances, Dante’s deal with the Hawks is likely to be structured around the veteran’s minimum salary, totaling approximately 4,459,584 over the 2-year period. This move by the Hawks signals their intention to bolster their roster, even in the face of tight competition from their rivals. What do you think? Do you believe the Rockets can find a way to match the offer, or will Dante become a significant piece of the Hawks puzzle? Share your thoughts in the comments.
The Atlanta Hawks just dropped a bombshell, signing restricted free-agent center N’Faly Dante to a 2-year, $4.5 million offer sheet!
Will the Houston Rockets match, or is Dante headed to the ATL to back up Onyeka Okongwu and Kristaps Porzingis? We break down:
• Dante’s eye-popping 74% G-League field-goal percentage
• Why Houston’s hard cap may BLOCK a match
• How the 6’11” Mali native went undrafted to potential NBA rotation piece
• What this signing means for the Hawks’ frontcourt depth
Stay tuned for real-time updates on the Rockets’ 48-hour decision window and fantasy basketball implications!
