The Hawks made their newest signing official today, and it was not the one fans have been expecting for over a month. While the reported signing of sharpshooter Caleb Houstan still remains unofficial, the Hawks came to terms on a two-year deal with restricted free agent center N'Faly Dante.
Atlanta has been searching for a third big man for quite some time now. It has been a priority for the franchise to acquire insurance coverage for their injury-prone center rotation of Kristaps Porzingis and Onyeka Okongwu. While not the most exciting pickup possible (Al Horford remains a free agent), this was a practical move that could benefit the timeline.
Dante saw limited action last season with the Houston Rockets, appearing in just four games while on a two-way contract. He averaged 6.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in just 12.8 minutes per night. He had outstanding percentages, shooting 76.9% from the floor and 80.0% from the free throw line. He was just shy of a double-double in his NBA debut against the Oklahoma City Thunder in just 18 minutes of action.
Where he stood out most last season, though, was in the G League. Dante started in 42 games with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers this past season, averaging 15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 2.2 blocks and a steal in just under 27 minutes per game. Once again he showed the efficiency he can bring to an organization, shooting 74.3% from the floor.
His effectiveness as a paint presence and lob threat will be crucial in spot minutes for the Atlanta Hawks next season. A rim-running big in a Trae Young-led offense has always been a reliable option and Dante still has real potential to develop into a quality big in today's NBA. If Atlanta has to go deep into their rotation next season due to injuries, they are in good hands with N'Faly Dante.
What does this mean for the reported signing of Caleb Houstan?
Nobody knows at this juncture. The likelihood that they bring him on is still high, but the fact that the deal with Dante was made official soon after the initial report is telling. With the deal still not finalized, Atlanta has one open roster spot remaining. Insiders have speculated that the Hawks could be leaving this spot available in case an unexpected move were to develop behind the scenes.
On paper, a Houstan signing could be great for Atlanta. He is an effective outside shooter who is still just 22 years old. That might also be where the two sides are not seeing eye-to-eye. Signing the 23-year-old N'Faly Dante as a third center behind two injury-prone bigs is a bit of a risk considering his youth and inexperience. The Hawks may choose not to bring in a guy who is still considered a developmental piece as their third small forward.
The team is aiming to be at the top of the Eastern Conference this upcoming season, and putting this much of a focus on matching the timeline with younger signings could come back to haunt them. The organization is aware of this problem, and it may just be why the reported signing of Caleb Houstan has not gone through yet.