Onyeka Okongwu has bled for this franchise. Literally. Last night, he was (unintentionally) elbowed in the face by Jaylen Brown so hard that he lost a few teeth. He stayed in the game, shot his free throws, then promptly headed to the locker room, where he still had the spirit to post a selfie when the game ended.
That's the kind of guy you want to keep around for a long time — and it appears the Hawks agree. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, "Despite interest from the Indiana Pacers and other teams who’ve checked in on Onyeka Okongwu, the Hawks have been resistant to moving their 25-year-old center, league sources told HoopsHype."
Good! It's hard to imagine that any trade involving Okongwu would make the Hawks better now or later, so shutting down any speculation is the right move. Plus, it's not like the Hawks need to ship him off anytime soon, as Okongwu still has two years left on his contract after 2025-26. In fact, the team should work to extend him even beyond 2027-28 before he becomes a max contract player. Yesterday's price is not today's price, which won't be tomorrow's price, as they say. Do they say that?
Hawks have no interest in entertaining Onyeka Okongwu offer
Okongwu's development within the Hawks' organization has been a beautiful sight for fans in the A. He entered the league as a clearly talented (but raw) prospect, coming off the bench behind Clint Capela. I personally think Okongwu was a better player than Capela by, like, November of his sophomore season, but I digress.
Now in year six, O has become one of the most exciting, versatile young centers in the NBA. He's averaging a career-high 16.3 points per game, shooting over five 3-pointers per game (and making them at a career-high clip) and averaging more stocks than he ever has. His overall efficiency is down a bit, but that's pretty common when players are entrusted with a bigger role. Okongwu has shown that he's ready to be a cornerstone of this franchise; why rush to get rid of that?
There's still untapped potential with Okongwu, too. I think he can be a near-20 & 10 guy if all goes right. Centers are fickle, and it's not uncommon for them to have a "second breakout" later in their careers. Look at Ivica Zubac for a recent example of that.
Moves might be coming for the Hawks in the next week. Knowing that they won't include the Hawks' young center should make fans happy.