After trading for Kristaps Porzingis, the Atlanta Hawks have perhaps the best and most well-rounded starting lineup in the league. Porzingis is bound to miss time next season, however, either through injury or load management.
With Porzingis's injury history, Onyeka Okongwu will have to prove he is a capable starting center next season for Atlanta to reach their lofty title aspirations. After stepping into the starting lineup midway through last season, Okongwu was one of the most fascinating under-the-radar stories in the league.
Okongwu played center in his first 12 games as a starter, where Atlanta put up a dismal 3-9 record. He has always been a talented player, but his lack of size at the center position has hindered his NBA career up to this point. This 12 game stretch was no differenc, and Atlanta's season looked like a lost cause.
After this brutal stretch, Quin Snyder opted to start Okongwu as a power forward next to Mouhamed Gueye. What followed was the best stretch of NBA basketball the USC prospect has displayed in his career. Okongwu looked like a true star at the four alongside Gueye, besting the likes of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby.
With a healthy and reloaded roster, however, Snyder cannot start the double big lineup when Porzingis misses time. The Hawks have a stacked starting lineup at 1-4, leaving just one spot available for either Gueye or Okongwu. Okongwu is clearly the better player, but he hasn't shown he is capable of playing the starting center spot for a team with championship aspirations.
Okongwu must prove he can battle with the dominant bigs of the East
A reality of employing Porzingis is that he will miss time. The seven-foot two-way monster has averaged just 53 games played over the last six seasons, and fans should expect the Latvian star to miss time yet again this year. Ideally, his absences will be a load management tactic rather than an actual injury.
But when Porzingis misses time, will Okongwu be ready to fill the big man's shoes?
Okongwu has not proven he is capable of this. Despite his incredible basketball ability, Okongwu is at a massive disadvantage as an undersized center. The same player who dominated at the four in the second half of last season struggled massively without Gueye as support.
It is important to note that Gueye did not play starter-level minutes. Yet, despite his limited playing time, his presence righted the ship and allowed Okongwu to minimize the amount of time matched up against highly skilled players with a height and strength advantage.
Perhaps Okongwu is best as a power forward. With Porzingis on the roster, Okongwu has a chance to play in double-big lineups alongside Gueye and Porzingis. In these minutes, expect him to dominate on both ends of the floor. But Atlanta is not asking Okongwu to play as a four, they are expecting him to be a solid starting center at times.
Okongwu has defied expectations each year as a pro. He developed a three point shot after being a non-shooter in college and his early pro career, a rare feat. Perhaps he'll continue to defy the odds by becoming a true starting-level center.
Atlanta needs Okongwu to be a capable starting center in Porzingis's inevitable absence. Okongwu's effectiveness in this role could be the difference between Atlanta being a top three seed an having yet another disappointing season.