The Atlanta Hawks have yet to recapture the magic from their Eastern Conference Finals run in 2021. Since then, Atlanta has endured a pair of disappointing first-round playoff exits. By the looks of how the 2023-24 NBA season is going so far, it does not seem like the Hawks are headed back to the spot they were at two years ago.
Atlanta holds a 7-7 record and sits at 9th in the Eastern Conference through the first month of the regular season. Sure, the Hawks are looking better under the tutelage of coach Quin Snyder, who was hired in February earlier this year. But it's clear that this team still needs a shake-up.
The Hawks already traded starting power forward John Collins to the Utah Jazz during the offseason. His departure opened up a massive opportunity for third-year forward Jalen Johnson, who is enjoying a breakout campaign. Perhaps a similar move could elevate the game of one of the Hawks' more promising young pieces.
In case you're wondering, we're talking about Atlanta finally trading Clint Capela so the Hawks could open up the starting center spot for Onyeka Okongwu. This really isn't a matter of whether the Hawks will give the reins to Okongwu. It's a matter of when. Atlanta has already gauged the market on what it could get with Capela.
With that said, the Hawks should make the move this season and finally hand over the reins to Onyeka Okongwu. Here is why the Hawks should trade Clint Capela as soon as possible.
Why the Hawks should trade Clint Capela
As mentioned, the main reason why the Hawks should finally trade Clint Capela is so Onyeka Okongwu could fully spread his wings. Okongwu has only shown snippets of what he could do primarily because Capela has been in his way.
Slowly but surely, though, the young center has been chipping away at the veteran's minutes. This season, the two are essentially in a timeshare. Capela, who has started every game for the Hawks this year, is averaging over 25 minutes per contest. Meanwhile, Okongwu is tallying 22.4 minutes a night.
There was some speculation heading into the season where we could see the two big men share the floor together at times. But so far, they have only spent two minutes on the court together this season — and understandably so.
In a way, this move could be similar to the Miami Heat trading Hassan Whiteside, which allowed Bam Adebayo to eventually blossom into an All-Star center.
Okongwu drew comparisons to Adebayo when he was first drafted by the Hawks. Perhaps, a similar move gives the soon-to-be 23-year-old the same trajectory as the Heat All-Star.
Comparing Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu
Capela is who he is at this point — a rim running big man who just operates near the basket and a defensive anchor whose main job on the other end is to protect the rim and grab rebounds.
Okongwu, meanwhile, has a more expanded offensive skillset. He can extend his range beyond the paint and has even shown flashes of spacing the floor with a still largely inconsistent outside shot, however. Nonetheless, the youngster did reveal he worked on improving his three-point shot during the summer.
Despite being undersized at 6-foot-8, Okongwu is more than capable of anchoring the paint defensively. He has averaged 1.3 blocks per game in each of the last two seasons and is tallying nearly a block per contest this year. In addition, he is more mobile than Capela and offers versatility in going out and staying in front of quicker players on the perimeter.
There is no denying Okongwu's upside and Hawks fans must be daydreaming on a daily basis just how he would look like with a full workload.
As for Capela, the Hawks shouldn't have trouble finding a trade destination for the 29-year-old. Here is a possible trade target Atlanta could entertain involving the veteran center.
Hawks trade target involving Clint Capela
The Hawks could try to engage with the Memphis Grizzlies given their need for a starting center after Steven Adams went down with a season-ending injury. With Ja Morant still serving his 25-game suspension, Memphis' season is headed in a downward spiral. With that, perhaps the Hawks can try to trade for defensive stalwart Marcus Smart and send Capela to Memphis.
Smart would be a solid addition to Atlanta's backcourt rotation. As a former Defensive Player of the Year, he will bring his energy and tenacity on defense and provide a steady dose of three-point shooting on the offensive end. In addition, his presence essentially ensures that there is an elite perimeter defender beside Trae Young in the backcourt at all times.
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