OnyekaOkongwu

Preseason question: Can Okongwu help the Hawks match up with the best (and biggest) in the East? He is a bit undersized for a 5, but he has the skill and savvy to hold his own. He may not be able to body opposing centers inside, but he can pull them out to the perimeter and out of their comfort zone. He might not be a traditional rim protector, but he can switch onto guards and wings to jam opponents up before they ever get to the basket. Okongwu, in so many ways, feels like a product of the modern game: a big with the agility and ball skills to compete in a wide variety of contexts. He doesn’t take anything off the table. Yet when he’s matched up against the best bigs and the most physical front lines, you can feel the compromises in his game. For Okongwu and the Hawks to move forward, that will have to change. He’ll have to be more competitive on the glass against 7-footers. He’ll have to body up the most relentless bigs inside. He’ll have to go to work, night after night, against the likes of Giannis and KAT and Embiid and dictate the terms. That’s a lot to ask, but it’s the burden of proof for a quality starter who’s looking to accomplish even more.