{"id":176171,"date":"2026-02-04T23:08:04","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T04:08:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=176171"},"modified":"2026-02-04T23:08:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T04:08:21","slug":"hawks-acquire-center-depth-at-trade-deadline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/02\/04\/hawks-acquire-center-depth-at-trade-deadline\/","title":{"rendered":"Hawks Acquire Center Depth At Trade Deadline"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Atlanta Hawks have made two moves within a week of the trade deadline. They traded <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/k\/krejcvi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">V\u00edt Krej\u010d\u00ed<\/a> to the Portland Trail Blazers for <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/reathdu01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Duop Reath<\/a> and two second-round picks on Feb. 1. Three days later, with less than 24 hours to go before the deadline, they acquired <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/l\/landajo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jock Landale<\/a> from the Utah Jazz for cash considerations. Ironically, Atlanta faces Utah at State Farm Arena on Thursday, Feb. 5, just a day after ESPN&#8217;s <a  href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ShamsCharania\/status\/2019164414570819978\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shams Charania<\/a> announced this deal. The Memphis Grizzlies included the center in the <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jacksja02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jaren Jackson Jr. trade<\/a>, but Landale will not suit up for Utah. Instead, he will give Atlanta much-needed center depth down the stretch of the 2025-26 campaign.<\/p>\n<h2>Hawks Acquire Center Depth At Trade Deadline<\/h2>\n<h3>Landale Comes to Atlanta in a Career-Best Season<\/h3>\n<p>Landale played an important role in Memphis. He started 25 games, averaging career highs of 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in 23.6 minutes per contest. The 6-foot-11 center shoots 38% from beyond the arc on 2.9 attempts per game. His ability to stretch the floor fits well in head coach Quin Snyder&#8217;s system, which relies on volume three-point shooting. He sets solid screens and plays with a physical edge, not shying away from contact in the paint.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Atlanta Hawks Big Man Jock Landale is having a strong career-high season in 2025-26, stepping into a larger role due to frontcourt opportunities. <\/p>\n<p>He&#39;s averaging double-digit points for the first time in his NBA career, providing solid scoring and rebounding as a center with\u2026 <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/jI8NFPshP7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/jI8NFPshP7<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; BRANDON &#8211; HAWKS HOMECOURT \ud83c\udfc0\ud83d\udcfa (@Hawks_HomeCourt) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Hawks_HomeCourt\/status\/2019171722071626233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">February 4, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The Hawks recently signed <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/k\/kolokch01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Christian Koloko<\/a> to a two-way contract. He started two games with <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/o\/okongon01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Onyeka Okongwu<\/a> (dental fracture) and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/porzikr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kristaps Porzi\u0146\u0123is<\/a> (illness) sidelined, but Landale likely takes his spot in the rotation. While Koloko&#8217;s athleticism and rim protection remain valuable, Landale&#8217;s perimeter shooting, rebounding, and screen setting give the Hawks more of an all-around skill set. This trade likely puts an end to <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/n\/newelas01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Asa Newell<\/a> and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gueyemo02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mouhamed Gueye&#8217;s<\/a> minutes at center. Before Koloko and Landale, Snyder was forced to play both power forwards at center due to the thin <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/01\/16\/hawks-missing-2-key-frontcourt-starters\/\" target=\"_self\">frontcourt depth<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This will actually be Landale&#8217;s second stint in a Hawks uniform. Atlanta received the 30-year-old and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/murrade01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dejounte Murray<\/a> in a 2022 offseason trade with the San Antonio Spurs, but it moved the center a few days later to the Phoenix Suns for cash. This time, it certainly looks like Landale will suit up for the Hawks down the stretch of this season.<\/p>\n<h3>Hawks Make Another Low-Risk Move<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_176193\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-176193\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/02\/USATSI_28057847_168402037_lowres-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Jan 21, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Jock Landale (31) shoots for three as Atlanta Hawks center Christian Koloko (35) defends during the second quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" class=\"wp-image-176193 size-large\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/02\/USATSI_28057847_168402037_lowres-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/02\/USATSI_28057847_168402037_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/02\/USATSI_28057847_168402037_lowres-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/02\/USATSI_28057847_168402037_lowres-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/02\/USATSI_28057847_168402037_lowres-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/02\/USATSI_28057847_168402037_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/02\/USATSI_28057847_168402037_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-176193\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jan 21, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Jock Landale (31) shoots for three as Atlanta Hawks center Christian Koloko (35) defends during the second quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Hawks only sent out cash for Landale. No draft capital or other players were involved in the deal, so general manager Onsi Saleh does not risk any negative consequences with this transaction. Landale&#8217;s <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.spotrac.com\/nba\/player\/_\/id\/74215\/jock-landale\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">$2.3 million contract<\/a> also expires this summer, giving Atlanta more cap space and flexibility for the 2026 free agent market.<\/p>\n<p>Atlanta&#8217;s 2026 first-round pick goes to San Antonio, but it owns the better of the Milwaukee Bucks\/New Orleans Pelicans&#8217; <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/09\/04\/hawks-lottery-pick-gift-from-pelicans\/\" target=\"_self\">2026 first-round selection unprotected<\/a>. Therefore, the Hawks would benefit from any postseason experience for <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/johnsja05.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jalen Johnson<\/a>, <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/daniedy01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dyson Daniels<\/a>, <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/risacza01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Zaccharie Risacher<\/a>, and the rest of their young core. Expect the Hawks to search for more depth before the deadline, especially if they can find it without comitting long term money or parting ways with significant draft assets or young talent.<\/p>\n<p><span>\u00a9 Petre Thomas-Imagn Images<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Atlanta Hawks have made two moves within a week of the trade deadline. They traded V\u00edt Krej\u010d\u00ed to the Portland Trail Blazers for Duop Reath and two second-round picks on Feb. 1. Three days later, with less than 24 hours to go before the deadline, they acquired Jock Landale from the Utah Jazz for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5516,"featured_media":176191,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,4,62,3],"tags":[49022,4605,3853,1948,3599,49809,49147],"class_list":["post-176171","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-hawks","category-nba","category-news","tag-duop-reath","tag-dyson-daniels","tag-jalen-johnson","tag-jaren-jackson-jr","tag-jock-landale","tag-vit-krejci","tag-zaccharie-risacher"],"modified_by":"Jordan Pagkalinawan","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176171","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5516"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=176171"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176171\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":176194,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176171\/revisions\/176194"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/176191"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=176171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=176171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=176171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}