The Atlanta Hawks have officially signed big man N’Faly Dante to a two-year, $4.5 million deal. The Houston Rockets, who held Dante’s rights, chose not to match the offer.
Dante, who went undrafted out of Oregon, played only four NBA games last season but was a standout in the G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, averaging 15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in 26.8 minutes per game over 42 games.
Although Houston extended a two-way qualifying offer to Dante in June, they later filled all their two-way roster spots with other signings, signaling they didn’t plan to bring him back.
The Hawks’ offer is essentially a minimum-salary deal, but Houston’s salary cap situation made it impossible to match.
With Dante added, Atlanta now has 14 players on standard contracts and frontcourt depth including Onyeka Okongwu, Kristaps Porzingis, Asa Newell, and Mouhamed Gueye.
Dante becomes the first two-way restricted free agent since 2018 to sign a qualifying offer that goes unmatched, and Atlanta is the first team to pull off such a signing since their own acquisition of Bogdan Bogdanovic in 2020.
Rockets Won't Match Hawks' Offer Sheet For N'Faly Dante https://t.co/BZYc0cnrIs pic.twitter.com/9Sj2lQj261
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) August 18, 2025
