It only took one preseason night for the Atlanta Hawks to raise a real question about their frontcourt rotation.
The Hawks were uneven in Monday’s loss to Memphis. The starters held up reasonably well, especially on defense, but the game tilted hard once the reserves entered.
Atlanta got buried in the second quarter, outscored 49-26, and Memphis went 8-11 from three in that stretch. The Hawks settled in after halftime and made a push, but the comeback fell short and Atlanta dropped to 0-1.
The part that stood out most was the usage of Zuby Ejiofor.
For a rookie taken No. 23 in the NBA Draft, Ejiofor may not have been expected to walk right into a major role. Still, the Hawks seemed like they might lean on him more than they did against Memphis.
He didn’t play in the first half at all, then logged a little more than 14 minutes after halftime. In that second half, when Atlanta’s defense was noticeably better than it had been in the disastrous second quarter, Ejiofor finished with five points, three rebounds and two assists.
What really popped was the edge he brought on defense. Playing with Jalen Wilson, RayJ Dennis and later Kobe Johnson, Ejiofor’s physicality was easy to notice. That kind of work matters on a night when the Hawks were trying to steady themselves.
The bigger question now is whether this was simply the first preseason game or the start of a longer developmental track that could send him to College Park.
With Mouhamed Gueye injured, it seemed fair to expect more minutes for Ejiofor. Instead, Asa Newell got the first shot at the backup power forward spot and had a mixed night. Newell put up 12 points and 12 rebounds, but his defense was a major reason Atlanta gave up 49 second-half points.
Ejiofor’s path still looks tied to the third-center job, which is what he played Monday night. He also ended up playing more than Dorian Finney-Smith, the recent acquisition from Charlotte, which is at least a small sign that the rookie is in the mix.
Still, the early read is pretty clear: Ejiofor is starting the year on the outside looking in. If he keeps bringing the kind of defensive toughness he showed against Memphis, that can change quickly. But for now, Newell got the first crack, Gueye is still due back at some point, and the rookie’s role looks a lot less certain than some might have expected.
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