The new-look Atlanta Hawks are off to a 4-5 start this season, good for fifth place in a struggling Eastern Conference. Coming off a statement win over the New York Knicks, the Hawks have to feel good about themselves heading into a five-game stretch of weaker competition. The Hawks will take on four opponents projected to miss the play-in tournament over their next five outings.
Even with things looking up for the Hawks, they have dealt with a glaring issue through their first nine games: they are not crashing the glass like they used to. After ranking third in offensive rebounds per game last season, Atlanta sits at No. 17 in that category so far. They also ranked sixth in total boards last year but sit at No. 21 this season.
Veteran big man Clint Capela is averaging nearly three times fewer offensive boards than he did last year, and Onyeka Okongwu’s slight dip in rebounding hasn’t helped either. With Capela’s age starting to show and Okongwu focusing more on his aggression as a scorer, Quin Snyder needs to find a solution to Atlanta’s rebounding problem.
Luckily for Snyder, the solution is right there in front of him. And his name is Larry Nance Jr.
Larry Nance Jr. can help solve the Hawks’ offensive rebounding struggles
Known for his highlight-reel dunks and high-flying posters, Nance brings something far more important to the table. He can help Atlanta recapture its rebounding dominance from a season ago. Despite finishing outside the top 20 in defensive rebounding, the Hawks ranked top-6 in total boards due to their incredible knack for creating second-chance opportunities.
This season, Nance has played in four games for the Hawks and has averaged 1.8 offensive rebounds in less than 16 minutes per game. Per 36 minutes, he is averaging 4.0 offensive boards. The bouncy veteran has notched at least two offensive rebounds in three of his four appearances, including a game where he saw less than eight minutes of action.
Nance’s per-minute offensive rebounding ranks among the best in the league, and the Hawks offense could use a shot to the arm right now. In fact, Atlanta is currently on pace to finish outside the league’s top 15 in offensive rating for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign.
Nance has also shot lights-out in his limited sample size, nailing 69.2% of his 2-pointers and 55.6% of his 3-pointers (on 2.3 3PA/gm). Snyder has viewed Nance as a center in his rotation all season long, making him the odd man out when Capela and Okongwu are both active. It may be time for Snyder to change that.
Offseason acquisition David Roddy has played some solid basketball for the Hawks, but there is no reason to think Nance can’t cut into any of Roddy’s 23.4 minutes per game. More importantly, Roddy’s defensive acumen and floor-spacing don’t mask his 6-foot-4 build and subpar 0.6 offensive rebounds per game.
Roddy has shot the ball well from downtown, making him a valuable 3-and-D depth piece. However, Snyder should unleash Nance’s offensive rebounding even if that compromises Roddy’s playing time.
Larry Nance Jr. can impact the game beyond crashing the glass
While the Hawks need Nance most for his glass-crashing acumen, the 31-year-old brings plenty of other skills to the table. For starters, Nance is one of the most versatile defenders in the NBA. He posted an incredible 2.5% steal percentage last season, which would have ranked No. 1 among qualifying centers and No. 5 among all qualifying players.
Nance’s underrated rim protection and athleticism allow him to operate as a roamer and a pick-and-roll defender. During his four seasons in Cleveland as both a starter and a reserve, Nance served as a disciplined rim deterrent and averaged 1.4 steals. The Hawks' defense can only benefit from Nance’s versatility on that end.
Nance is also an underrated playmaker at his position. He averaged more than three assists per game during two of his seasons in Cleveland, only starting in 57 of those 102 contests. Throughout his career, Nance’s feel for the game has allowed him to serve as a dribble-hand-off hub and passer out of the post.
A true Swiss Army knife in this league, Nance can make a real difference for the Hawks – especially when they are shorthanded. On top of his versatile skill set, Nance has simple but effective offensive strengths that mesh well with Trae Young and his playmaking.
Before the season started, Nance expressed great excitement over getting to play for Snyder.
"Quin is a basketball mastermind," Nance told Lauren L. Williams of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. "I was huge fan of his when he was at Utah, and obviously, these past few years in Atlanta. I'm excited to play for him, and we're gonna get along really well ... I consider myself a high-IQ basketball player, and he's very high IQ."
Snyder shouldn’t get complacent ahead of his team’s upcoming stretch. Over their next five games, the Hawks should have a realistic opportunity to capture a top-3 spot in the east. With Atlanta in need of a rebounding boost, Nance deserves to see the floor every night.