Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu have occupied the Atlanta Hawks’ top two center options for the last five seasons. Okongwu took over Capela’s starting role in January of this year, posting career-best numbers over the final four months of the season. The Hawks have their starting big man for next season, but Capela is an unrestricted free agent this summer. For the first time since Atlanta selected Okongwu sixth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, questions surround the backup center position heading into the 2025-26 campaign. If the Hawks look at the free agent market to fill the backup center void, here are three candidates to get the job done.
3 Free Agents To Fill The Hawks’ Backup Center Void
Steven Adams Attacks the Glass and Rolls to the Rim
Simply put, Steven Adams owns the offensive glass. The Houston Rockets ranked first in the association this season, grabbing 14.6 offensive rebounds per game. Adams was a huge part of Houston’s identity, leading the squad with 3.3 extra possessions per game in only 22.1 minutes per game in the playoffs. While rebounding is certainly his best attribute, he sets big screen-and-rolls hard to the rim. These skills fit seamlessly next to Trae Young, who is a pick-and-roll maestro and the 2024-25 assist leader at 11.6 per game. Atlanta ranked first in points generated by the roller in pick-and-roll scenarios at 9.8 per game this season.
Steven Adams is the most underrated player in the playoffs. Took four total shots and was a game-changer.
Highlights beyond the box score: pic.twitter.com/lOXamZSouT
— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) May 3, 2025
The 6-foot-11-inch Adams gives the Hawks a bigger option to back up Okongwu. In the 2025 playoffs, the Rockets played Alperen Şengün next to Adams and found success. Atlanta head coach Quin Snyder could play both big men together in short spurts to combat the Hawks’ size issues with Jalen Johnson off the floor. Okongwu also knocked down 36.2% of his triples over the final 40 games of the season, furthering his development as a floor-spacing four.
Adams’ playoff experience and leadership would be great for Atlanta’s promising, young core. However, his health is a concern. He played 58 games this season after missing the 2023-24 campaign due to knee surgery.
Day’Ron Sharpe Has More Upside
Day’Ron Sharpe has played behind Nic Claxton for his whole career. Fantasy basketball managers in both point and category formats have wanted to see Sharpe get a larger opportunity due to his per-minute production. While a move to Atlanta behind Okongwu does not satisfy this, the Hawks will land themselves an athletic, rebounding, and shot-blocking center who still has not reached his full potential. At just 23 years of age, Sharpe is still adding to his repertoire.
“I do expect him to have a decent amount of interest on the free agent market…”
– @MikeAScotto on Day’Ron Sharpe
How much should the Nets invest in their backup big this summer?
pic.twitter.com/8OQ8NxMuaI
— The Brooklyn (@thebrooklynpod) April 11, 2025
Sharpe played 18.1 minutes per game this season for the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 7.9 points, 6.6 boards (3.0 offensive), and 0.8 blocks. His athleticism gives Young another big alley-oop threat in the pick-and-roll alongside Okongwu and Johnson. Sharpe runs the floor well at 6-foot-11, fitting right into Atlanta’s top-three paced offense from this season. He is slowly developing a corner three to complement his strong inside game, shooting a career-high 45 triples in 2024-25.
Perhaps the biggest challenge surrounding Sharpe is the money. He will likely seek a longer-term deal and a bigger role after spending his first four seasons as a backup. Multiple hamstring injuries cut his season short to just 50 games, but he has had his fair share of injuries over his short career.
Luke Kornet as a Defensive Anchor
When Luke Kornet broke into the league in 2017 with the New York Knicks, he shot 35% from deep on four attempts per game. Eight years later, he is no longer a perimeter threat offensively. Instead, he is a 7-foot-2-inch anchor playing 18.6 minutes per game for the defending champion Boston Celtics. He averaged a block per game this season and a career-high 5.3 boards per contest.
Kornet does not offer much scoring outside of generating second-chance points, but his rim protection, screen setting, and championship experience are valuable. He is on an expiring $2.8 million deal this season. A similar contract gives Atlanta flexibility to upgrade the roster in other areas, while having an experienced backup center to hold down the paint.
Photo credit: © Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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