The Atlanta Hawks have just one healthy center on the roster, a lineup flaw that will cripple any postseason ambitions from the club.
The squad is 2-7 in December, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, horrid defense is a common thread in these losses. In six of these games – 67% of this month – the Hawks’ effective field goal percentage allowed was below the 15th percentile. Essentially, the Hawks have been a bottom-five defensive team this month, and the defensive weakness is not correlated with the long-awaited return of Trae Young, a known defensive liability.
When you take a closer examination, you see the true problem: teams are scoring far too easily at the rim. For example, the Charlotte Hornets did not miss a single attempt at the rim in the first half of their matchup against the Hawks. While the Hornets were hot from the field that night, there is no excuse for allowing 100% at the rim.
The Hawks will fall down the standings until they acquire a second center
The Hawks started the season with a three-man center rotation: Kristaps Porzingis, Onyeka Okongwu, and N’Faly Dante. The three all had different strengths and weaknesses, allowing for creative multi-center lineups in a league that is embracing height and physicality. And in the first month of the season, each center came out hot. Porzingis was firing on all cylinders, Okongwu took another developmental leap, and Dante impressed against low-level competition.
What is there not to love about this center rotation?
The sad answer to this question is their availability. Okongwu has missed just one game, but Dante tore his ACL, and Porzingis has had his own health struggles. He is in the midst of a two-week absence to an undisclosed illness (that immediately followed another extended absence to illness). While Porzingis will return, how often can you realistically expect him to play in the year 2026?
Okongwu has thrived considering the circumstances, but as Quin Snyder astutely pointed out, he is 6’8. When your only center at the NBA level is 6’8, you just can’t be a competitive team.
Fortunately, the Hawks are universally considered buyers at this trade deadline. While no move is guaranteed, it would be downright shocking for Atlanta to leave this weakness unaddressed, particularly considering they do not hold the rights to their pick this year.
The Hawks don’t need a star center, although the presence of one certainly wouldn’t hurt. This leaves the squad with the likes of Anthony Davis, Nic Claxton, and Daniel Gafford as potential suitors to fill the hole at center. Expect the Hawks to be heavily linked to these players as trade season escalates during January.