The Atlanta Hawks managed to commit highway robbery in the trade to acquire Kristaps Porzingis, losing essentially nothing for the former All-Star. The trade vaulted the Hawks up the projected Eastern Conference standings, as pundits predicted the team would finally have a sturdy presence down low and give Trae Young five-out spacing.
Through 11 games, however, the Hawks have been 7.4 points per 100 possessions better with Porzingis off the floor. Although the small sample size may exaggerate this mark, the numbers paint a clear picture. When Porzingis plays, Atlanta has an 8th percentile defense and struggles to grab defensive rebounds. Even worse, teams shoot 9.2% better at the rim with Porzingis on the floor. You can't win NBA games with a center of this profile.
Jalen Johnson is partly to blame, as his rebounding and defensive ability have seemingly vanished over the offseason. He and Porzingis have shared the floor often this year, and the Hawks have been dominated in the paint during these minutes. Johnson should find his rhythm in time, but the fact of the matter stands: Porzingis isn’t helping the team’s interior defense or rebounding.
Quin Snyder must change his rotations to save the Porzingis experiment
At this point in his career, Porzingis might have to be a four on the defensive end. The Hawks' defense has been elite when he has shared the floor with Onyeka Okongwu. The two bigs were made to play together, as Okongwu has the mobility and physicality to cover Porzingis, while the latter has the length to challenge at the rim. Together, they form a dangerous defensive duo that few are equipped to beat.
Okongwu has played the bulk of his minutes alongside Johnson, but these lineups have been a disaster for the Hawks’ defense. Quin Snyder should consider changing the rotation to keep Okongwu and Porzingis paired as much as possible. This leaves Johnson to share the floor with Mouhamed Gueye. While Gueye isn’t a true center by physicality, his defensive prowess leaves him as well-equipped as anyone to handle this responsibility.
Porzingis is on an expiring contract and told the media he did not enter contract negotiations this offseason. Perhaps it is for the best that there is no long-term commitment at the present moment. Porzingis is a fantastic player, but he isn’t the center Atlanta needed when they acquired him. Without a traditional five to play alongside him, the best move could be to flip him at the trade deadline to a team where he is a more natural fit.