The Atlanta Hawks have seen some tremendous development from their sophomore center Onyeka Okongwu. Originally Okongwu came into the league as a tremendous defender with a high-level pick and roll game.
The Hawks further unlocked Okongwu’s potential when they traded Rajon Rondo to the LA Clippers. In return, they received the pick and roll master, Lou Williams. They formed an instant connection that seemed to strengthen this season when Okongwu returned from his injury.
The sophomore added to his offensive kit-bag this season. Not only is he close to unstoppable when he gets within three feet of the rim, but he has also added a weird-looking hip shot that is unerringly accurate. This is shown by the 69.0 percent he was able to shoot from the field.
The Atlanta Hawks need a greater offensive output from Onyeka Okongwu.
The Hawks CEO Travis Schlenk urged Okongwu to take his game to the next level. Schlenk sees him becoming a potential All-Defensive player which is pretty incredible for a player who has only played two interrupted seasons in the NBA.
However, anything is possible for Okongwu who has shown the potential to shut down the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid. However, he can start spacing the floor on offense he is going to make the Hawks even harder to defend.
The potential impact on the roster of Okongwu having a jump shot could be huge. He could eventually replace John Collins in the starting lineup. This would strengthen the Hawks at the defensive end of the floor. It could even lead to the Hawks trading Collins.
The next level for Okongwu and the Hawks is that he can replace Clint Capela as the starting center moving forward. While Capela has been huge for the Hawks’ turnaround, Okongwu is a younger, cheaper option who fits the timeline of this team a whole lot better. A jump shot will make him a number one option for the Hawks.