Breaking Down The Hawks’ Starting Center Debate

Breaking Down The Hawks’ Starting Center Debate

Contracts Can Play a Role In the Decision

The Hawks gave up Georges Niang, Terance Mann, and the 22nd pick in the 2025 NBA Draft for Porziņģis. In a vacuum, this appears to be a heist. However, the Latvian big man is only under contract for one more season. He is owed $30.7 million across the 2025-26 campaign and enters unrestricted free agency next summer, barring a contract extension. According to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst, Porziņģis and Atlanta did not speak about an extension before the trade.

The Hawks could give Porziņģis the starting job because he is heading into a contract year. The star center may have extra motivation to stay healthy and put up great numbers to earn more money in the future. Porziņģis’ durability is certainly more questionable than his production. He put up 19.5 points and 6.8 boards, shooting 41.2% from deep on six attempts per game last season.

In contrast, Okongwu is under team control for the next three seasons after signing a four-year, $61.9 million extension before last season. Based on his production as a starter to end the 2024-25 campaign, this is a team-friendly deal. Okongwu averaged 15.0 points and 10.1 rebounds, shooting 36.2% from downtown in his 40 games after becoming a starter. His improved three-point shot and career-high 2.3 assists per game give the Hawks confidence that he plans to take an even larger leap next season.

It Comes Down to a Question of Durability, Shooting, and Defensive Fit

Okongwu missed a lot of time over his first two seasons, not reaching over 50 games. However, he played at least 74 games in two of the past three seasons. This consistency should not be overlooked when factoring in the importance of chemistry and familiarity in a starting group. However, Porziņģis played at least 65 games in just three of his nine NBA seasons (not even including 2017-18 where he missed the whole year). He played 65 in the 2022-23 season with the Washington Wizards, but that was his first time hitting 60 games since 2016-17. Okongwu, while not the most durable player across his five-year career, has Porziņģis beat in this category.

Snyder emphasizes the importance of perimeter shooting in his offense, and Porziņģis remains one of the best stretch bigs in the league. He shoots 36.6% on 5.2 three-point attempts per game over his career. Coming from the historic Boston Celtics’ three-point offense, he fits seamlessly into a Hawks team set to increase its volume from deep in 2025-26. While Okongwu took big steps in improving his outside shot last season, Porziņģis is a much bigger threat.

Both Hawks centers bring value in their own ways defensively. Porziņģis’ size and shot blocking help Atlanta against some of the bigger frontcourts in the East, such as the Cleveland Cavaliers or Orlando Magic. Okongwu’s lateral quickness, ability to switch on pick-and-rolls, and speed in transition align with how the Hawks defended last season.

Ultimately, the starting center does not matter as much as playing time and the matchup. There will likely be nights when Snyder leans on Porziņģis more than Okongwu and vice versa. It is certainly a nice problem to have.