The Hawks Are Running on Empty in the Paint - and It’s Costing Them
The Atlanta Hawks are limping through December with just one healthy center on the roster - and it’s showing. Badly.
They're 2-7 this month, and the numbers behind those losses paint a pretty clear picture: the defense has been leaking like a sieve. In six of those nine games, the Hawks allowed an effective field goal percentage that ranked below the 15th percentile league-wide.
That’s not just bad - that’s bottom-five-in-the-NBA bad. And while it’s easy to point fingers at Trae Young, whose defensive limitations are well known, this isn’t on him.
This is about what’s happening - or more accurately, not happening - at the rim.
Teams are getting to the paint at will and finishing with ease. Take the Charlotte game: the Hornets didn’t miss a single shot at the rim in the first half.
Not one. Sure, Charlotte was hot that night, but allowing 100% shooting at the rim in any half is a defensive red flag you can’t ignore.
That’s not just a cold stretch - that’s structural failure.
A Rotation Built on Potential, Undone by Availability
Coming into the season, the Hawks had reason to feel good about their center rotation. Kristaps Porzingis, Onyeka Okongwu, and rookie N’Faly Dante gave them a mix of size, skill, and versatility.
Porzingis brought elite shot-blocking and floor spacing. Okongwu, in his fourth year, looked poised for a breakout.
Dante, while raw, showed flashes against second units and in spot minutes.
It was a trio that could match up with a variety of frontcourts, and in a league trending back toward size and rim protection, Atlanta looked ready to keep pace. But the NBA season doesn’t play out on paper.
Dante’s year was cut short with a torn ACL. Porzingis, meanwhile, is sidelined with an undisclosed illness - his second absence due to illness this season.
The long-term concern with Porzingis has always been availability, and that concern is rearing its head again. He’ll return, but how often can the Hawks count on him to suit up as the calendar flips to 2026?
That leaves Okongwu as the last man standing - and he’s done everything he can. The 6-foot-8 big has battled taller matchups, held his own on the glass, and provided the energy and switchability he’s known for.
But as head coach Quin Snyder candidly noted, there’s a ceiling to what a 6'8" center can do when he’s the lone interior anchor. In today’s NBA, that’s just not sustainable.
The Clock Is Ticking Ahead of the Trade Deadline
The good news? The Hawks know they need help - and the league knows it too. Atlanta is widely viewed as a buyer heading into the trade deadline, and with no control over their 2025 first-round pick, they have every incentive to stay competitive and push for the postseason.
They don’t need a superstar to fix this. But they do need size, rim protection, and someone who can soak up 20-25 minutes a night without getting overwhelmed in the paint.
That opens the door to a range of possibilities - from high-profile names like Anthony Davis (if the Lakers shock the league and make him available), to more attainable targets like Nic Claxton or Daniel Gafford. All three bring different tools to the table, but each would give Atlanta a much-needed presence at the five.
Expect the Hawks to be active - and aggressive - as trade season heats up in January. Because if they don’t patch this hole in the middle soon, they’ll keep sinking in the standings. And in a crowded Eastern Conference, that’s a slide they can’t afford.