The Atlanta Hawks have several decisions to make this offseason, but center Onyeka Okongwu figures to be one of the few certainties. That is, if the Hawks can fend off potential pursuits from prospective trade suitors.
One of those could be a team they have already fended off once before in the Los Angeles Lakers. LA eyed Okongwu at the 2025 trade deadline only to be rebuffed.
They could show renewed interest this offseason as both teams face uncertainty.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley released a list of recent rumors and determined which to buy and sell on May 26. Buckley noted that Okongwu would be a “great fit” in the Lakers’ frontcourt, especially after they failed to adequately replace Anthony Davis following the Luka Doncic trade.
Buckley also points to the Lakers’ renewed focus on addressing their center position this coming offseason.
In this case, though, a year (or a handful of months) will not make enough of a difference.
“They probably won’t dial up the Hawks again. Okongwu may not be this unobtainable superstar, but he's a key piece of Atlanta’s young core. It will take more than Dalton Knecht, salary-filler and a draft pick sweetener to pry him loose.
“He is also eminently affordable ($48 million over the next three seasons) and presumably still ascending as a 24-year-old who only became a full-time starter in this season's second half. Of course, those are also arguments for Atlanta to ignore anything other than outlandish trade offers for him.”
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin revealed to Jason McIntyre on the “Straight Fire” podcast on May 22 that the Lakers reached out to the Hawks about Okongwu.
McMenamin’s comments did not close the door on the Lakers’ revisiting a trade with the Hawks.
“I actually assume he was one of the names on the list that [Lakers general manager] Rob Pelinka presented to Luka, because I do know that the Lakers made a call to the Hawks around the trade deadline about Okongwu,” McMenamin told McIntye on May 22.
Buckley ultimately sold on the idea, but it does raise questions about the Hawks’ plans after how their season ended.
Hawks get reality check about Onyeka Okongwu
The Hawks were wise to hold off on a trade, particularly as they remained in contention for a top-five season well after the trade deadline. But they might have to think harder about their position this offseason.
Former Memphis Grizzlies executive John Hollinger, now a senior writer for The Athletic and based in Atlanta, praised Okongwu’s contributions.
Hollinger also questioned Okongwu’s viability as a starter against the bigger centers.
“They need another big 5 on that team,” Hollinger told Zach Lowe on “The Zach Lowe Show” on May 22. “Okongwu was good in a lot of ways, but he’s 6’8. Any time he’s matched up against [Karl-Anthony] Towns or one of these big 5s, he just kind of gets overwhelmed. They need somebody with true center size on that team.”
The Hawks are expected to lose Clint Capela, who faced some of the same size-related issues as Okongwu as a starter, in unrestricted free agency this offseason. Hollinger expects them to pursue a new deal with veteran forward Larry Nance Jr., but questioned his durability.
Atlanta also has 2023 second-round pick Mouhamed Gueye, who helped cover up Okongwu’s defensive deficiencies once inserted into the starting lineup.
That was as a replacement for Jalen Johnson, though.
The Hawks will see a change to the starting lineup they ended the season with, one way or another. It is just a question of how extreme they believe that face lift needs to be. That determination will not come until they decide who is making the final call.