When the Atlanta Hawks signed Gorgui Dieng in the offseason, there was a good chance that he was going to help them in their push towards the NBA Finals this season. Unfortunately, there were a number of issues in the first half of the Hawks season and they are now looking at being a play-in tournament team.
This means that they are still a shot at the postseason as two of the four teams will qualify for the playoffs. Even if the Hawks do make it, they are unlikely to play the veteran big man based on the way they have used him this season.
It appears as though the Hawks decided to sign Dieng as an insurance policy for Onyeka Okongwu who missed a large chunk of the early part of the season due to shoulder surgery. With Clint Capela also having a cleanup operation in the offseason it was the right call to sign another big man.
The Atlanta Hawks should move on from Gorgui Dieng
While Dieng is an excellent defender and can help space the floor from the center position, he has never fit the Hawks system. They have a heap of shooters on the floor meaning that they need their big man to get in and do more dirty work in the paint, looking for second chance opportunities via the offensive board.
This is where Capela and Okongwu are able to help the Hawks as they are always around the hoop, given their lack of range on their shot. They are also able to space the floor vertically thanks to their pick and roll play with the guard unit which helps out Trae Young and Lou Williams.
Given that Okongwu has taken such a leap this season, Dieng now is riding the bench in more games than he is playing. This means that the Hawks could go looking for an experienced playoff veteran to fill that roster spot.
Waiving Dieng would allow them two roster spots for the buyout market which may also be beneficial to sign a quality veteran next season. There is no better way to see how they work with the team than playing with them.