The Atlanta Hawks’ center depth is dangerously thin heading into the 2025 offseason. Other than Onyeka Okongwu, they do not have a center on the roster because Clint Capela and Larry Nance Jr. head into free agency this July. Mouhamed Gueye earned the backup five minutes to end this season; however, Atlanta only has a two-week sample size of the 22-year-old playing behind Okongwu.
If the Hawks plan to compete for a playoff spot, they likely want a veteran backup five. If they cannot secure a free agent, three center prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft might catch their interest later in the first round.
3 Potential Draft Targets for the Hawks’ Backup Center at Pick 22
Maxime Raynaud Has Unique Skills at His Height
Not many seven-footers can handle the ball and shoot well from beyond the arc at high volume. Well, Maxime Raynaud is an exception. The Stanford University product measured 7 feet with a 7-foot-1-inch wingspan at the combine. He averaged 20.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in his fourth year. Raynaud shot 34.7% on 5.5 three-point tries per game. His accuracy on such a high volume will catch the eyes of a lot of NBA teams needing an outside threat in the frontcourt. The 22-year-old’s ability to put the ball on the floor and punish weak closeouts gives him an almost guard-like offensive edge.
Maxime Raynaud has gone from walk-on to ACC player of the year candidate, making more 3s than any collegiate 7-footer at Stanford. He’s the type of highly skilled, versatile big man many NBA teams are looking for, with plenty of upside still left to tap into long-term. pic.twitter.com/7NDXl73MRU
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) January 14, 2025
While Raynaud’s offensive ceiling is high, questions arise on the defensive end. He will likely struggle defensively against stronger centers in the post. He also lacks the quickness to be a reliable weak-side shot blocker early in his career. Raynaud fits in Atlanta because he can play behind and next to Okongwu, who has improved his three-point shooting last season. A Gueye and Raynaud reserve frontcourt gives the Hawks great length. Gueye struggles more offensively, but he could mitigate some of Rayanud’s deficiencies on defense.
Hansen Yang Shows Flashes of a High-IQ Player at Center
Hansen Yang is rising late first-round consideration since the combine started. The 7-foot-1-inch, 252-pound center out of China averaged 16.6 points, 10.5 boards, and 2.6 blocks in the CBA last season. His passing vision and ability to make reads as a ball handler are rare at his size. Whether Yang has the ball at the low block, elbow, or perimeter, he can punish defenses with the pass. This dime from the three-point line to hit a cutter had people buzzing about his playmaking ceiling.
What a pass from Hansen Yang pic.twitter.com/sBg5jHNsg1
— Keandre Ashley (@HoopIntelllect) May 15, 2025
Yang uses his body well and takes advantage of mismatches easily with a soft touch. He possesses solid shooting mechanics but struggled at the charity stripe (67.1%), even though he can knock down face-up mid-rangers. His lack of lateral quickness limits his defensive versatility, and he is not a reliable lob threat. The Hawks have relied on Okongwu and Capela’s athleticism in the pick-and-roll for years. However, Yang’s court vision meshes well with head coach Quin Snyder’s motion, quick-thinking offense. At just 19 years old, Yang might not be ready to make an impact quickly in his NBA career, but he certainly comes with upside for the future.
Ryan Kalkbrenner Could Make an Impact Early in His Career
Ryan Kalbrenner improved every season at Creighton. He played five in total, averaging 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks in his final season. The 7-foot-1-inch center is a classic shot blocker and dominant presence down low. He shot 65.3% from the field this season, routinely catching tough passes in traffic and finishing with ease. Kalkbrenner also started to expand his offensive game to the perimeter. He finished his fifth season shooting 21-61 from beyond the arc. At 23 years old, he has limited upside but could enter the Hawks’ rotation early with his experience. He is more of a vertical threat in the pick-and-roll than Yang, and he has great hands to handle pocket passes or lobs from Trae Young.
Kalbrenner is one of the best on-ball post defenders and weakside shot blockers in this class. However, he is limited to playing in drop coverage due to his lack of mobility. He struggles to defend in space. As a result, quick guards often punish him if he switches onto them. Many NBA teams are shying away from drop defenses due to the abundance of talented offensive guards. Due to the lack of depth behind Okongwu, these prospects could find themselves playing backup center in Atlanta earlier than some might expect.
Featured image: © Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
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