With Kristaps Porzingis, the question has never been about his ability but rather his availability.
The seven-footer earned the apt nickname "the Unicorn" for his unreal combination of size and talent. Porzingis is an elite rim protector, using his length and strength to wall off the paint and get blocks. He is also a true three-level scorer, placing fourth in the league in post-up efficiency and second in efficiency on deep threes of qualifying players (>1 post shot per game, >4 deep threes per game). This diverse offensive game will open up the floor for the rest of this Atlanta team.
With his all-around skillset, Porzingis is a player every team could use. He is particularly important for Atlanta given their questionable center rotation of Onyeka Okongwu and Asa Newell. Both of these backup options lack positional size, a weakness that teams will look to exploit.
Like many towering centers, Porzingis is one of the most injury-prone players in the league. Porzingis has averaged just 53 games played per season over the past six years and has missed significant time in the postseason.
Because of their heavy reliance on Porzingis for size at the center position, Atlanta should preserve him by bringing the big man off the bench and limiting his minutes in the regular season. Without Porzingis, the Hawks are left with a small frontcourt that will hamstring their ability to make a title run.
The Hawks should value Porzingis's health over regular sesason wins
To set the standard, the average center is 6'11 and weighs 245 lbs. Okongwu is allegedly 6'10, but doesn't appear to be this tall in games. This lack of size is apparent when matched up against centers with elite size and strength, who often bully the smaller Okongwu.
At this stage in his career, Newell is built like a power forward. Standing 6'11, 223 lbs, Newell has the potential to become a full-time center if he adds weight to his frame. However, fans shouldn't expect him to hold up against the paint beasts of the NBA this season.
This leaves Porzingis as the only center on the roster with plus size. The Hawks simply cannot afford to lose him to injury in the playoffs.
The East is loaded with tall, physical paint beasts like Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Karl-Anthony Towns. Atlanta should assume they will have to face at least one of these players in the playoffs to make the NBA Finals next season. With Porzingis as the only player equipped to handle their size, his health could be the X-factor for how Atlanta fares in the postseason.
While it is tempting to chase the #1 seed by making the most of Porzingis, Atlanta needs to play the long game. Keeping the Unicorn on the bench and limiting his regular-season minutes is the way to maximize his impact for this team, as counterintuitive as it may seem.