Onyeka Okongwu, franchise center?
With his play this past season, it’s a question that must be asked. Despite spending the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft on a player with off the chart potential, we have yet to see Okongwu in a 30-minute per game role. Using such a high lottery pick on a player usually means a fast track to a starting spot, but Okongwu has started just 28 games out of 178 appearances in his three-year career — almost only as an injury replacement for Clint Capela.
Back in the summer of 2020, the Hawks were coming off a streak of three straight seasons without a postseason appearance.