Entering Monday, the Atlanta Hawks had won three games in a row. They were 8-4 in their last 12 games since December 23. With the team having played improved basketball for nearly the past month, a starting lineup change doesn’t normally need to happen. That’s just what head coach Quin Snyder did on Monday though. With Onyeka Okongwu playing magnificently off the bench, Snyder inserted him with the starters in place of Clint Capela.
Hawks Make Change To Starting Lineup
Hawks Insert Okongwu Into Starting Lineup
The sixth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Okongwu has sat behind Capela since he was drafted the Hawks. For the past few seasons, the 24-year-old has been one of the more productive backup centers in the league. In particular, his last three games off the bench have been noteworthy. In those, Okongwu totaled 55 points, 47 rebounds, and 10 assists.
On Monday, Snyder made the move to put Okongwu in the starting lineup for the first time this season. The 6-foot-8 center’s first start didn’t result in a win as they fell on the road to the New York Knicks by the score of 119-110. In the losing effort, Okongwu finished with 14 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and two steals. The team was also a +8 in his 28 minutes.
This season, Okongwu has appeared in 35 games. He has posted averages of 11.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.9 blocks. Okongwu has shot 55.3% from the field, 14-55 from beyond the arc, and 75.6% from the foul line.
Capela Benched By Atlanta
With Okongwu joining the starters, Clint Capela was with the reserves on Monday. It was the first time in over two years that Capela came off the bench for Atlanta. It was also only the fourth time in his five years with the Hawks that he wasn’t in the starting lineup.
The 30-year-old Capela played 20 minutes on Monday. He finished the Hawks loss with 12 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks, but Atlanta was -17 during his time on the court.
In 42 outings this season, Capela has averaged 9.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.0 blocks. Coming into this season, the 6-foot-10 averaged a double-double in seven consecutive years, including three as a member of the Houston Rockets. His first year with Atlanta (2020-21), Capela led the league averaging 14.3 rebounds per outing.
Could Capela Be Dealt?
While Snyder didn’t say if the starting lineup change is a permanent move, it would be surprising if it were just a one-game switch. Many fans have wanted to see Okongwu with the starters, and Capela has seen his name in trade rumors. The latter is in the final year of his contract at $22.27 million. Okongwu agreed on a four-year, $61.98 million rookie scale extension in the offseason.
If the Hawks were to find a taker for Capela, they would still have a reliable backup center behind Okongwu in Larry Nance Jr. While there was a time that the 32-year-old wasn’t in Atlanta’s rotation, he performed well when Okongwu was forced to miss some time with injury. Nance Jr. has been out since December 28 though after undergoing right hand surgery and will be re-evaluated in about a week.
