To succeed in the NBA, a player needs two things: talent and opportunity. Those two things don’t always go hand in hand. Sometimes, a talented player doesn’t get an opportunity. Usually, that means that another talented player is ahead of them.
Take Onyeka Onkongwu of the Atlanta Hawks. Onkongwu was a lottery pick. He looks like an archetypical modern switch big. That said, he hasn’t gotten a lot of opportunities in Atlanta. Okongwu has been behind Clint Capela in the team’s rotation for his entire career.
Yet, the Hawks extended him anyway. One wonders if the Hawks see Onkongwu as their big man of the future. If they do, they may want to move Capela.
Could they send him to the Los Angeles Lakers?
NBA Trade Proposal — Los Angeles Lakers Land Clint Capela
Atlanta Hawks Receive: F Rui Hachimura, G/F Cam Reddish
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: C Clint Capela
On the other hand, players can squander their opportunities. At one time, we may have thought that they had a certain level of talent. We could have been wrong.
Take Cam Reddish. He began his career as a member of the Hawks. When they selected him in the lottery, he was seen as a potential future star. Reddish would never reach those heights in Atlanta. Surely, he just wasn’t getting the opportunities – right?
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Clint Capela, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Well, Reddish didn’t reach star status on the New York Knicks, either – or the Portland Trail Blazers. So far, he’s not exactly on track to get there with the Lakers, either.
Should the Hawks really take him back?
Why The Atlanta Hawks Do The Deal
Well, the Hawks don’t do this deal for Reddish. He’s a salary filler. They may reroute him elsewhere. On the other hand, it’s also possible that they’ll simply relegate him to the bottom of their bench. For Atlanta, this deal is about Rui Hachimura.
Is Hachimura a future star? At this point, it’s looking doubtful. Still, he looked like a nice complimentary player in the postseason for the Lakers this year. Meanwhile, the Hawks could use some wing depth. Hachimura could be a nice addition.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Clint Capela, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Yet, this is about clearing a runway for Onkongwu as much as anything else. He’s on the upswing, and Capela is nearing the declining phase of his career. Should the Lakers acquire him anyway?
Why The Los Angeles Lakers Do The Deal
Capela may be getting closer to the end of his career. He’s still a productive player. Capela is a quality rim protector and a lob threat on the offensive end. He should make the Lakers a better team.
Is he a good fit for this roster? We think so. Some will question whether pairing Anthony Davis with a traditional 5 is the right move. They’ve got short memories. The Lakers won an NBA title by playing Davis alongside JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard in 2019-20.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Clint Capela, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Capela is better than either. Adding him would allow Davis to return to a roamer role, with Capela operating as the primary rim protector. That ought to make the Lakers difficult to score on – teams will struggle to find the opportunity to get baskets.
