Stop Blaming Draft Picks For Hawks’ Unsolved Center Depth Crisis

The Atlanta Hawks have been working hard to fill empty roster spots this offseason, signing Kingston Flemings and Henri Veesaar to add new talent, and trading for Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Ryan Nembhard to strengthen their second unit. With CJ McCollum and Jock Landale returning, McCollum is now starting. Despite these moves, a major problem persists - the team still doesn’t have a dependable backup center to the starter, Onyeka Okongwu.

During the postseason against the New York Knicks, the Hawks faced a significant issue: their size disadvantage when facing Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson. Sports Illustrated noted that Atlanta struggled against the duo, with Robinson dominating the Hawks' second unit easily, scoring and grabbing rebounds while the team had no real answer.

This happened because the Hawks simply didn’t have a true option available in the center position when Okongwu was unavailable. Even Jock Landale’s return couldn’t fix the problem, as Tony Bradley and Mouhamed Gueye were tried at center, but neither fit the role.

Facing teams with two big men on the court, the Hawks are at a disadvantage. The roster additions of Flemings and Veesaar are promising, but can they handle the task now? Sports Illustrated suggests Veesaar could become a solid or at least dependable center, but Flemings is more likely to become a star point guard and handle the reserve role this season. Development takes time, and the immediate need is urgent.

The Hawks must find a true backup center who can step in without Okongwu on the floor. They can't continue relying on Gueye or small-ball lineups forever. Landale’s return is a plus, but his health is unpredictable. If he gets hurt again, the team has no plan. Flemings and Veesaar are good long-term steps, but the short-term problem is the one that determines wins and losses this year. The Hawks need to address this gap before the next playoff series starts, as the rest of the Eastern Conference is ready to exploit it.