Okongwu Could Be Made Available. Trade Target?

[Phantom255x]

https://x.com/TheDunkCentral/status/2009669408021721523

The Atlanta Hawks have some doubts about Onyeka Okongwu long term, per @KellyIko

?The Hawks, according to conversations with rival executives, agents and former players, are unsure of the long-term prospects of Onyeka Okongwu and Mo Gueye at center from a contention standpoint. Atlanta is an average defensive team (16th in defensive rating, per Cleaning the Glass), but a core featuring Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Johnson and Davis has enough versatility and optionality to rewrite a narrative that would have been otherwise impossible with Young as the centerpiece.?

Hauser, Tillman, Boucher + multiple picks works in a potential trade.

[Roy H.]

If Atlanta isn't sold on him, why would we be?

[Who]

They are right not to be sold on Okongwu.

Too small. Doesn't protect the rim well enough. He is ideal as a PF or as a bench big. Not a starting center.

[slamtheking]

They are right not to be sold on Okongwu.

Too small. Doesn't protect the rim well enough. He is ideal as a PF or as a bench big. Not a starting center.

agreed, he's a PF.  wouldn't even consider him a small-ball center

[Who]

Okongwu's splits on the season

Starter = 34mpg 17ppg 8rpg 4apg 58% TS

Bench = 26mpg 14ppg 7.5rpg 2apg 63% TS

Atlanta have 5 wins 6 losses with Okongwu as a bench player and 11 wins 15 losses with Okongwu as a starter. Atlanta are a -0.8pts per 100 possessions with Okongwu off the bench and -6.2pts per 100 poss with Okongwu as a starter. 

[keevsnick]

Okongwu's splits on the season

Starter = 34mpg 17ppg 8rpg 4apg 58% TS

Bench = 26mpg 14ppg 7.5rpg 2apg 63% TS

Atlanta have 5 wins 6 losses with Okongwu as a bench player and 11 wins 15 losses with Okongwu as a starter. Atlanta are a -0.8pts per 100 possessions with Okongwu off the bench and -6.2pts per 100 poss with Okongwu as a starter.

If Okongwu is coming off the bench that means Porzingis is actually playing, so ya I'd expect the Hawks to be better when Porzingis plays.

[Who]

Okongwu's splits on the season

Starter = 34mpg 17ppg 8rpg 4apg 58% TS

Bench = 26mpg 14ppg 7.5rpg 2apg 63% TS

Atlanta have 5 wins 6 losses with Okongwu as a bench player and 11 wins 15 losses with Okongwu as a starter. Atlanta are a -0.8pts per 100 possessions with Okongwu off the bench and -6.2pts per 100 poss with Okongwu as a starter.

If Okongwu is coming off the bench that means Porzingis is actually playing, so ya I'd expect the Hawks to be better when Porzingis plays.

I've seen Porzingis come off the bench a few times recently. 17 games played. 12 starts. 5 bench appearances all in recent weeks. The Hawks have 9 wins 8 losses in his 17 games. Atlanta are 3-2 in the 5 games Porzingis came off the bench so 6-6 with Porzingis as a starter. The team are +1.1 per 100poss with Porzingis as a starter and +19.8 per 100poss with Porzingis off the bench player.

I am not quite sure what those stats mean. Is that the team's plus/minus when the player is on the floor or for the team over the full game? Looks like when the player is on the floor for that +19.8pts per 100 poss to make sense.

Numbers from B-ref.com's player profile splits page.

[Who]

* Hawks lineup with NAW, D Daniels, Risacher, Jalen Johnson + Porzingis vs Okongwu. So their main starting unit. Okongwu's lineup has played 250 minutes and is a +2.1pts per 100 poss. Porzingis' lineup has 130 minutes together and is +4.2pts per 100 poss.

The other lineups for comparisons all have small sample sizes.

* With Trae in the lineup instead of NAW. The Hawks are -16.7pts per 100poss in only 24min. With Okongwu, -25.5pts per 100 in 40min.

* With Trae in the lineup instead of Risacher. The Hawks are -12pts per 100poss in 50min with Okongwu. No option for Porzingis. That is surprising.

* With Luke Kennard in the lineup instead of Risacher. With Porzingis, the Hawks are +9.3pts per 100poss in just 28min. With Okongwu, they are -27.4pts per 100poss in 25min.

[Celtics2021]

https://x.com/TheDunkCentral/status/2009669408021721523

The Atlanta Hawks have some doubts about Onyeka Okongwu long term, per @KellyIko

?The Hawks, according to conversations with rival executives, agents and former players, are unsure of the long-term prospects of Onyeka Okongwu and Mo Gueye at center from a contention standpoint. Atlanta is an average defensive team (16th in defensive rating, per Cleaning the Glass), but a core featuring Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Johnson and Davis has enough versatility and optionality to rewrite a narrative that would have been otherwise impossible with Young as the centerpiece.?

Hauser, Tillman, Boucher + multiple picks works in a potential trade.

Not sure why we are giving picks.  Hauser is comparable value given their respective contracts.

[Celtics2021]

If Atlanta isn't sold on him, why would we be?

It is unclear to me if it is player or organization, but I lean towards organization.  Okungwu was coming off a solid season, arguably his best, at age 24 last year.  This year he has taken a big step back, but mostly on offense.  For some reason he has more than doubled his 3-point attempt rate, so that over 40% of his shots are from 3.  He is shooting a respectable 36%, but he is an elite finisher that they have now moved to the 3-point line.  In addition, this has had the added effect of cratering his offensive rebounding numbers.  Maybe Okungwu himself decided he wanted to become a perimeter player, but it is a massive change and one that seems more likely derived from teams copying the success of the Celtics 5-out strategy of recent years, which the Celtics themselves have largely abandoned this season.