Some of the widespread “butterfly results” in sports activities is when a veteran participant suffers an harm and opens the door for a youthful prospect who by no means lets the possibility go. One of many extra well-known current examples got here with the Golden State Warriors when a David Lee harm led to a beginning position for Draymond Inexperienced and a four-championship dynasty. Whereas not as near being a contender, it’s one thing that could be taking place for the Atlanta Hawks as we converse.
Onyeka Okongwu, taken by the Hawks with the sixth choose within the 2020 draft, has loudly asserted himself because the beginning middle of their future and doubtlessly of their current. After enjoying the position of backup middle for the previous two years behind Clint Capela, Okongwu’s quantity was known as to start out after Capela went down with a calf pressure just a few weeks in the past.
Over Okongwu’s final fifteen video games, all of which he’s been the starter outdoors of the December twenty third match in opposition to the Detroit Pistons, he’s boosted his stats as much as a wholesome 11.4 factors, 9.6 rebounds, and a couple of.3 blocks per recreation on 62.2% capturing from the sector. That’s a giant enchancment on how he’s completed all yr, due to the rise in minutes performed.
Throughout those self same fifteen video games, the Hawks have gone 8-7 with the Twelfth-best internet score within the league off of the power of the Tenth-best defensive score. Each have been enhancements over Atlanta’s efficiency earlier than Capela’s harm (twenty third in internet score and seventeenth in defensive score), and the offense has solely been a tad worse as effectively.
The place has Okongwu improved most for the Hawks?
The most important space of enchancment for Okongwu has been in his uptick in blocked photographs. Though he isn’t the tallest middle, he makes use of his uncommon mixture of instincts, timing, and ferocity to incinerate makes an attempt on the rim. Okongwu’s rim presence is just extra imposing than Capela’s ever was:
Though it’s all the time going to be troublesome to assemble a top-half protection that options Trae Younger, Okongwu’s skill to have an effect on photographs on the rim, cowl floor together with his fast ft, and change onto smaller gamers at the least offers the Hawks hope.
One other space that Okongwu has excelled in as a starter is his rim stress on offense. He’s been a titanic lob risk and imposing screener since he entered the league, however enjoying elevated minutes alongside Younger and Murray, he’s been capable of showcase his alley-oop and choose’n’roll ending much more:
The thunderous finishes have been already one thing that Okongwu had in his bag; what’s been extra fascinating are the opposite varieties of paint finishes that he’s demonstrated throughout this run. Utilizing lithe footwork mixed with aggressive strikes to attain off the brief roll just isn’t what Okongwu’s had the possibility to indicate on the NBA stage till this breakthrough and he’s taken full benefit to indicate them off:
Most of those performs are flashes of Okongwu’s improvement, however they paint a compelling image: not solely can Okongwu present the identical protection, rebounding, and ending as Capela, however he nonetheless has room to develop on each ends and lift the group’s total ceiling.
The place does Okongwu’s improvement depart Atlanta?
With the NBA commerce deadline quick approaching, it’s price occupied with whether or not now’s the time for Atlanta to maneuver in a drastically totally different course with their roster. Whereas a lot of the commerce speak facilities round John Collins, because it appears to yearly, there could also be some credence to shifting Capela to a different group as a substitute.
From a purely monetary perspective, shifting on from Capela in favor of Okongwu would release sufficient cash for the Hawks to signal a premium position participant within the offseason. They’ll have Okongwu locked up for a similar time interval as effectively, alongside together with his Fowl Rights to assist their extension negotiations.
It’s not like Capela is washed, both. He is probably not as productive from a rebounding or scoring perspective this season, however he’s a succesful middle in his prime who can nonetheless positively have an effect on profitable basketball for a group within the hunt for the playoffs.
Shams Charania at The Athletic has already reported that Boston and Toronto are Jakob Poeltl in a commerce. Capela may come cheaper and provides them the same bruising inside participant. Atlanta may doubtlessly seize a participant like Payton Pritchard, or Gary Trent Jr. to juice their offense.
From the Western Convention, each the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks might wish to money of their commerce property and seize Capela to spice up their inside presence. Snatching a plus shooter like Lu Dort or Reggie Bullock would assist Atlanta’s spacing and capturing hierarchy.
Or the Hawks may hold Okongwu and Capela. Most groups within the NBA would respect the expert depth that the Hawks have of their frontcourt.
Someday, the Hawks will hand the reigns of their protection and inside scoring off to Onyeka Okongwu. With how he performed throughout his beginning stretch, it appears to be like like he’ll do his greatest to make that timeline shorter and shorter.
