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graymule wrote::D
Spud: Yes. If he can't get minutes in a blow out game, something is wrong. Skylar Mays rode the pine. Hawks got run over and
had no chance. Then, Hawks inserted SM and the rest is history.
Hawks had another blow out loss. Agent OO17 was available. He couldn't get in the game. Why? Who knows? But, in the very next
game he was in the rotation. Strange. He played well. I expect to see him tonight.
The AthleticOkongwu has struggled to catch up with the rest of the Hawks because he didn’t have a Summer League, training camp or preseason, and because this season is so weird and condensed, practice time is hard to come by. The team doesn’t have morning shootarounds on game days like it normally would because of the COVID-19 testing it has to do and the restrictions the league has in place.
That’s made being a rookie who entered the league injured even more challenging than it normally would be.
“It’s been very difficult to get up to speed because it’s tough to get into the gym as much as you can because of COVID,” Okongwu said. “It was tough for me to get in the best shape — and I’m still not in the best shape. I’m still getting better every single day. I feel like if I was able to get in the gym more, I’d be more up to speed than where I’m at right now.
Spud2nique wrote:I’m not worried about Okongwu at all. He’s a kid with confidence that just has to ride this Lloyd thing out. Okongwu is a future all NBA defensive team type player. It’s just unfortunate that we have a YBA coach.
Radioblacktive1 wrote:I know Spud is losing his mind
My fav wasn’t even the multiple dunks but that one rebound over 3 players in the first half. That was a straight big boy board. He just took it away. Hopefully the beginning of great times ahead for Hawks fans. 
atlantabbq99 wrote:Everybody is talking about Ball, Edwards, and Halliburton but 3 years from now, when you re-draft this class, Kong will be considered the top talent from his draft class!
I'll go out on a limb and say Kong will be the next Anthony Davis, which is an elite defensive player who can also give you +20ppg and 70% free throw shooting.
shakes0 wrote:atlantabbq99 wrote:Everybody is talking about Ball, Edwards, and Halliburton but 3 years from now, when you re-draft this class, Kong will be considered the top talent from his draft class!
I'll go out on a limb and say Kong will be the next Anthony Davis, which is an elite defensive player who can also give you +20ppg and 70% free throw shooting.
I'm taking your opinions on this draft with a boulder of salt Mr. Lamelo Ball will be the biggest bust in the entire draft guy.
atlantabbq99 wrote:shakes0 wrote:atlantabbq99 wrote:Everybody is talking about Ball, Edwards, and Halliburton but 3 years from now, when you re-draft this class, Kong will be considered the top talent from his draft class!
I'll go out on a limb and say Kong will be the next Anthony Davis, which is an elite defensive player who can also give you +20ppg and 70% free throw shooting.
I'm taking your opinions on this draft with a boulder of salt Mr. Lamelo Ball will be the biggest bust in the entire draft guy.
I still stand by that. Ball this year reminds me of a poor man's Tyreke Evans. Like I said before the draft, Ball is a great passer but very low IQ. Since coming back Ball is shooting 22% from three and 63% from the free throw line
jayu70 wrote:atlantabbq99 wrote:shakes0 wrote:
I'm taking your opinions on this draft with a boulder of salt Mr. Lamelo Ball will be the biggest bust in the entire draft guy.
I still stand by that. Ball this year reminds me of a poor man's Tyreke Evans. Like I said before the draft, Ball is a great passer but very low IQ. Since coming back Ball is shooting 22% from three and 63% from the free throw line
He did injure his right shooting hand, so I'll give him a bit of a pass on that.
Bleacher ReportNBA Youngsters Who Need Bigger Roles Next Season
Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks
Onyeka Okongwu's limited floor time during his rookie campaign is eminently explainable. A left foot injury delayed his NBA debut until the middle of January, and more than that, he entered what was already a fleshed out frontcourt rotation.
Clint Capela eats up most of the Atlanta Hawks' center minutes and won't be surrendering any in the near term after playing well enough to warrant All-Defense consideration. Pepper in some John Collins-at-the-5 arrangements or the (very) lightly used small-ball combos with Danilo Gallinari in the middle, and that doesn't leave a whole lot of leftover ticks for Okongwu. It's a minor miracle he made 50 appearances this year.
That small-burst model shouldn't fly next season. Okongwu's defensive tools are part of the calculus. He profiles as an extremely switchable big who won't get burned around the hoop. Barely half his defensive possessions came versus centers this year, according to BBall Index.
This has more to do with the draft equity Atlanta committed to him. Sixth overall picks don't maintain their sheen forever. The Hawks need to get a better idea of what they have in him, either to establish his trade value or decide whether he has a future beside Capela and Collins or beyond them.
Flipping him this summer could technically be on the table, but there's no rush unless the right blockbuster opportunity comes along. Okongwu has three years left on his rookie scale deal, Collins is headed for restricted free agency and Atlanta knows too well how injuries can throw the rotation for a whirl.
Still, the logistics of the Hawks roster do nothing to dissuade this stance. Whether it's for them or another team, Okongwu needs to see more action as a sophomore. If his performance in the regular-season finale is any indication—21 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and endless locker-room praise—it'll be for them.
