The Hawks are sending a 2027 second-round pick via Cleveland and cash to the Timberwolves to complete the sign and trade. The contract includes a player option and a trade kicker. The writing appeared to be on the wall for Alexander-Walker in Minnesota with the Timberwolves opting to re-sign both Julius Randle and Naz Reid. Now the 26-year-old shooting guard finds himself on a Hawks team that appears to be going for it in a wide open Eastern Conference. Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels can provide premium defense in the backcourt around the playmaking Trae Young.

While Alexander-Walker’s play for the duration of the playoffs appeared to raise his ceiling heading into unrestricted free agency, Game 5 was a dud. He missed all eight of his shot attempts on the night, going scoreless for the first time this postseason. Alexander-Walker’s fantasy value next season depends on where he lands. If Minnesota can work something out and re-sign him, he’ll be a deep-league option at best after underwhelming from a fantasy standpoint. However, with the Timberwolves having Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr., the decision could be made that Alexander-Walker is too expensive to retain.

Alexander-Walker, who will be a free agent this summer, has picked a good time to increase his production. A double-digit scorer in each of the last three games, he was at his best Monday night. The 23 points were a playoff career-high for Alexander-Walker, who scored 20 in Game 2 of Minnesota’s second-round series against the Warriors. While expecting a similar performance from him in Game 5 would be a bit much, Alexander-Walker can be a factor off the bench. Even if the point total is not as robust, NAW must provide value again to help the Timberwolves force a Game 6.

With Naz Reid (10/8/0/1/2) and Donte DiVincenzo (8/3/3 with two three-pointers) both shooting 3-of-8 from the field, Alexander-Walker did most of the heavy lifting for the Timberwolves’ reserves in Game 2. The 17 points are the most he’s scored in a game since Game 2 of the second round, when he dropped 20 on the Warriors. Nights like Thursday have not been the norm for Alexander-Walker, so Minnesota will need more from Reid and DiVincenzo to win this series. With the action shifting to Minneapolis, the Timberwolves hope the belief that reserves play better at home rings true.