There was an ominous feeling in Atlanta and Washington when Trae Young and Corey Kispert were sidelined in tonight’s games. And it appears that gut feeling came true. The ink on Kispert’s last contract extension had barely dried up and he’s fresh off a surgery to fix his thumb. Now he’s got to use his good hand to sign a new contract with the Hawks.
It’s still hearsay at this point, and anything could change. However, right after Trae Young expressed interest in going to the Wizards, they apparently struck a deal with the Hawks. Washington is sending Corey Kispert to Atlanta. His contract status in turn presents a longterm investment for the Hawks.
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Corey Kispert’s Washington Wizards Contract
On January 7, 2026, the Hawks and Wizards finalized a blockbuster trade for Trae Young. In exchange for the All-Star guard, the Hawks gain veteran guard CJ McCollum and 26-year-old sharpshooter Corey Kispert.
McCollum is at the end of his existing contract on a $30.7 million salary. Kispert signed a four-year, $54.05 million rookie scale extension he signed in October 2024. He’s in the first year of that contract and has a team option in the fourth, presenting Hawks the opportunity to build a wing-heavy rotation for the remaining years of both McCollum and Kispert.
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Corey Kispert’s salary
The Wizards selected the Gonzaga alum 15th overall in the 2021 NBA draft. His first NBA contract was a four-year deal worth $16.36 million. His 2024 extension was designed with a declining salary structure to maximise the Wizards’ cap flexibility. Now the Hawks get to capitalize on that.
He gets a guaranteed $40 million for the next four years and an average annual salary of $13,500,000.
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Corey Kispert’s current salary structure
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Corey Kispert’s past salary (Washington Wizards)
Corey Kispert’s injury history
The Wizards might be the winners in this deal. Trae Young has $95 million remaining on his existing deal through the 2026-27 season . He also holds a player option in the offseason.
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After acquiring Young, the Wizards will move $30 million below the luxury tax. That still leaves an open roster spot to pursue another trade and clear $46 million in cap space for the summer. It’s interesting to note that there were no draft picks in this deal.
The team option provides Hawks with a potential out in case Kispert is injured. He did have a season-ending injury in March 2025 and missed 16 games for the rest of the season. He underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb.
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The trade comes at complicated time for Kispert who has struggled to bounce back from that surgery. He returned for the 2025-26 season only in November and missed 10 consecutive games with a fractured right thumb. He returned this December only to leave the game early with left hamstring tightness.
He has missed five of the last six games, is still experiencing hamstring issues, only to be traded within the first week of 2026.
Despite his low usage, Kispert offers shooting efficiency as high as 49% from the field across 19 games this season. It apparently makes the Hawks comfortable with his medical history as Kispert could be a great backup to Bogdan Bogdanović. But Atlanta would have to wait for Kispert to suit up. Medical experts put his likely return somewhere at the end of January.
Corey Kispert Contract: All About New Hawks Forward’s Salary, Career Earnings & More
