Onyeka Okongwu has spent the last few years turning a knock on his game into one of his biggest strengths, and that evolution is starting to shape the Hawks’ next financial decision.
The 25-year-old big man is now in the third season of the four-year, $62 million rookie-scale extension he signed, which means Atlanta has reached the point where it has to start figuring out the right number for a veteran extension. For a player who was criticized for his height going back to the 2020 NBA Draft, Okongwu has answered with steady, undeniable growth.
What stands out most is how well his game fits what the Hawks want to do. Atlanta leads the league in three-pointers made with 184, and Okongwu has become part of that identity. He’s taking more than four threes per game and hitting 35% of them, a sharp jump from where he was when he made his promise in 2022.
“The next time you see me, I will have a jumpshot.”
That line has aged well. Okongwu is now one of the team’s more dependable outside threats, and the improvement hasn’t stopped there. His offense has expanded from the paint to the perimeter, while his defense has taken steps forward too.
Better conditioning has helped him hold up in drop coverage and battle bigger post players with more force. At 25, he still looks like a center in the middle of his development, but the direction is clear: an athletic five who can protect the rim and stretch the floor.
That kind of player fits Atlanta perfectly, especially with the Hawks leading the league in assists for the second straight season at 31.7. The fit is obvious enough that the front office should be willing to pay for it.
There’s also more structure behind Okongwu now. Some fans may still prefer the idea of moving him for a proven seven-footer, but that argument loses some steam with Henri Veesaar already on the roster. The second-round pick signed a standard four-year, $9 million deal, and while his impact won’t come until next season, he profiles as a strong backup for Okongwu because of his size and similar style of play.
Veesaar also gives Atlanta a fallback if Jock Landale leaves in 2027 free agency. Add rookie Zuby Ejiofor into the mix, and the Hawks suddenly have three centers, with Ejiofor showing enough in his minutes to matter. He’s shooting threes and attacking the glass like the others.
With that depth in place, the Hawks can approach Okongwu’s extension without feeling boxed in. President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh should be able to offer him a three-year, $75 million extension next summer, which would be the most Atlanta can give him under the 140% veteran extension in the recent CBA.
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