Kristaps Porzingis and Onyeka Okongwu have had injury issues in the past, meaning the Atlanta Hawks need to add a third center to the roster as necessary depth. In order to put themselves in the best possible position to succeed, they’ll have to bring in some insurance at the big man spot. Andrew Schlecht spoke about it on The Athletic NBA Daily podcast:
“They really need one more big, because I do think that Kristaps is probably going to miss time,” Schlecht said. “So, I think their guard rotation is awesome. And I love the guards and wings that they have. I think that they’re really set at that position. But it’s really the center position that they need a little bit more from, and so, I do worry about that specifically. But if they do have relative health, I think that they’re going to be a 50-plus-win team and they’ll be one of the surprise teams in the NBA.”
The question is, who can the Hawks add?
What center should the Hawks add behind Porzingis and Okongwu?
Porzingis and Okongqu are two very talented centers. The former is a floor-spacing freak of nature on the offensive end who can also defend the rim at a high level. The latter is a great rim-runner in the pick-and-roll.
However, if either of them deals with injury issues next season, which is very possible, they need another body at the five spot. Right now, they don’t have that.
The closest things to a third-string five the Hawks have on the roster are rookie Asa Newell and Mouhamed Gueye, neither of whom is perfectly fit to play the center position in the NBA.
Some of the better center options left available in free agency include DeAndre Jordan, Tristan Thompson, Thomas Bryant, and Charles Bassey. Technically, Al Horford is still available, but he’s widely projected to sign with the Golden State Warriors once the Jonathan Kuminga drama comes to a close.
Jordan and Thompson are both well past their primes, and neither of them should be depended upon for regular minutes. Bryant could be an interesting option after his relatively successful postseason run with the Indiana Pacers.
Bassey could be a solid signing, too. He played well for the Boston Celtics in Summer League, defending the rim and grabbing rebounds at a high level.
No matter who the Hawks target, based on their current roster, it’s painfully obvious that they need to sign an extra center. They just can’t depend on Porzingis and Okongwu to stay healthy for the entire season (and potential playoff run).
If anything, they should look to add another body so they can give Porzingis some much-needed rest in the regular season so he can be ready for the playoffs.