The Atlanta Hawks will look very different next season, as star forward John Collins will no longer be there after years of trade speculation.
Notably, he may not be the only member of their frontcourt to leave the team in the foreseeable future.
According to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the team could look to move on from veteran big man Clint Capela (via Grant Shirley).
Moreover, the insiders said on The Hoops Collective podcast that the Dallas Mavericks could be in the mix to trade for the big man.
On his pod when having a discussion on the Cavs two big lineup and the value of centers on the market, Windy and MacMahon both mention that “Capela is on the (trade) block”
MacMahon also reiterates something we’ve heard multiple times that Dallas would love to have that kind of… pic.twitter.com/WPNoqydbU7
— Grant Shirley (@Grant_Shirley4) July 24, 2023
Truth be told, moving on from Capela would make a lot of sense for the Hawks right now.
Onyeka Okongwu is just three years removed from being the No. 6 pick in the NBA Draft, and he’s shown glimpses of great play in his early days in the Association.
He can be a dominant rebounder on both ends of the glass and has the physical tools, timing, and instincts to be an elite interior presence and rim protector as well.
He’s a younger and cheaper option for a team that’s obviously looking to cut back expenses after dumping Collins’ salary in a trade that got them pretty much nothing material in return.
As for the Mavericks, they’ve been in the market for a defensive-minded big man for years now.
Capela is an elite rim-runner who’d thrive in the pick-and-roll with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving throwing him lobs, and he’d be the defensive anchor they’ve craved for quite a while now.
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