A look at the Hawks and NBA free agency, which begins Sunday

On Saturday, they have several decisions to make on a few players further down their bench, and they opted not to extend a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Saddiq Bey, who became an unrestricted free agent.

The Hawks had begun negotiations with Bey last offseason and ultimately failed to reach an agreement. Bey was on a four-year, $13 million rookie contract and had carved out a valuable spot in the Hawks’ rotation. While he struggled to shoot effectively from three-point range, he provided the Hawks with a capable defender with his size.

Unfortunately for Bey, an ACL injury cut his season short. He underwent surgery to repair it in March and will spend his offseason recovering and rehabbing.

The decision not to tender Bey could have to do with how the team is currently committed to paying $166 million in salary to those under contract. The Hawks are over the salary cap, but still have some breathing room before reaching the $171 million threshold that would require them to pay the luxury tax.

The team has decided to exercise Garrison Mathews’ $2.2 million option, according to a person familiar with the situation. Mathews becomes extension eligible on July 6 and played an important role last season, providing them depth amid numerous injuries.

Mathews has bolstered the Hawks’ defense on the wing, giving them plenty of momentum while shooting 44 percent on 2.9 three-point attempts per game. He had many fans in the Hawks management who appreciated the way he developed last season.

The Hawks acquired Mathews at the 2023 trade deadline, along with center Bruno Fernando from the Rockets. They must decide whether to guarantee the remaining $2.7 million on his four-year contract.

Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu were both injured last season, and Fernando has grown into his role as the team’s backup. He still has room to grow, but with the Hawks still in need of size, Fernando can continue to provide it.

Winger Vit Krejci can also round out an already deep group of wingers following the draft selections of Zaccaharie Risacher and Nikola Djuricic last week.

They already made a two-way qualifying offer to Seth Lundy, but can’t do the same for Dylan Windler since he already has four years of NBA service.