Hawks tender two-way options to Wallace, Toppin, decline Barlow’s team option

Wallace and Toppin enter free agency as restricted free agents.

The Hawks had untill 5 p.m. on Sunday to decide on picking up the players’ option. But they delievered the options to Wallace and Toppin hours before the deadline. They decided not to pick up Barlow’s club option just over 20 minutes before the deadline.

If the Hawks had opted out, Wallace and Toppin would have joined Barlow in unrestricted free agency.

The Hawks, though, liked the optionality that Wallace and Toppin provide their roster. By tendering options to Wallace and Toppin, the Hawks have the option to match any other two-way offers the two may receive.

Should the Hawks match any two-way offers and sign Wallace and Toppin, the team would have other decisions to make.

They already have Daeqwon Plowden signed to a two-way contract, which allows a player to compete in the G League but be called up to play with the NBA squad for as many as 50 games. They also added undrafted free agent Eli John Ndiaye to a two-way deal following the second round of this year’s NBA Draft.

The Hawks could convert one of those contracts to a standard deal if they have the roster space. They can begin negotiating with free agents Monday beginning at 6 p.m. and then they can begin signing free agents next Sunday, July 6, when the new league year commences.

Wallace averaged 5.4 points, 2.6 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 0.9 steals in playing 31 games for Atlanta last season. He had a triple-double in the Hawks’ regular-season finale against the Magic with 15 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds.

Toppin averaged 1.4 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 17 games — all but one coming with the Knicks.