Atlanta's frontcourt weaknesses were exposed against the New York Knicks this last postseason.
It was as clear as day. If the Hawks wanted to be taken serious as a real threat in the competitive Eastern Conference, they were going to have to improve down low. Many people assumed this meant overpaying for one of the top bigs in the market, but it didn't.
The Hawks drafted Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar, and re-signed their backup center, Jock Landale, seemingly solidifying the unit for the 2026-27 season. Nothing flashy, just quietly impactful moves.
While undersized for a traditional big man, the addition of Ejiofor could quickly become the most notable, as his biggest strength is what they've truly been lacking for some time.
Ejiofor is a quality rebounder on both the offensive and defensive glass
The Mitchell Robinson archetype shouldn't be able to dominate Atlanta in the trenches any longer. That is, if several years of collegiate tape and limited summer league action are enough of a trajectory-indicator.
Many initially pointed to Ejiofor's defensive versatility as his largest asset, and while that is still an incredible strength to have, none will ultimately be as valuable as his ability to hold down the paint, even at his size.
Motor isn't something that can often be taught. The Hawks clearly made acquiring guys who play bigger than they truly are a focal point in their offseason pickups, and they should all give them a unique advantage at the next level.
In their latest summer league action, Ejiofor was given the task of limiting Oklahoma City's Aday Mara, who happens to be the tallest player of his draft cycle, standing 7'3".
While Mara was dominating the early portion of the game, Ejiofor was simply able to tire him out, and it resulted in a complete flip of who was controlling the glass, and eventually - the game.
All of Atlanta's big men are interchangeable
There are certain pros and cons that come with having bigs who aren't over seven-feet tall. One advantage that has simply become undeniable, though, is the adaptability and switchability they can bring to both an offensive and defensive scheme.
Head Coach Quin Snyder is known for his effectiveness working with a wide variety of frontcourt options, and while Ejiofor is an incredibly unique center option, there's no reason to believe he won't be able to work his magic with him, as well.
As long as he can keep holding down the glass, creating real incentive to keep him on the court, he'll quickly create a path to nightly minutes with the main ball club - something not many late first-round picks are able to do in year one. At least not anymore.
15 rebounds, with six of them coming on the offensive glass, is incredibly impressive, even in summer league.
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