The Hawks<\/a> recently acquired 7-foot-2 Kristaps Porzi\u0146\u0123is, a proven championship-caliber starter. This move likely pushes Onyeka Okongwu\u2014who started 40 of his 70 games last season\u2014back to a bench role. For the Lakers, this presents a prime trade opportunity.Bleacher Report\u2019s Kristopher Knox highlighted Okongwu as a strong alternative if Kessler isn\u2019t available: “With Porzi\u0146\u0123is headed to Atlanta, Okongwu may now be even more available than he otherwise might have been this offseason. Regardless, he should become L.A.’s top trade target if Kessler is indeed unavailable.” (H\/t: Athlon Sports)<\/p>\nOnyeka Okongwu\u2019s Contract and Performance<\/p>\n
Onyeka Okongwu is entering the second year of a team-friendly four-year, $61.9 million deal. His affordable contract gives the Los Angeles Lakers financial flexibility while adding a young, productive big man.![\"Onyeka](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/onyeka-okongwu.jpg\" "\\"Onyeka")
<\/p>\n
Onyeka Okongwu (Image via NBA)<\/p>\n
Key Stats (2024-25 Season):- Points: 13.4 PPG- Rebounds: 8.9 RPG- Assists: 2.3 APG- Blocks: 1.1 BPGCareer Averages:- Points: 9.6 PPG- Rebounds: 6.7 RPG- Blocks: 1.1 BPG<\/p>\n
How Okongwu Fits with the Los Angeles Lakers<\/p>\n
The Hawks center brings energy, defense, and improving offensive skills. Here\u2019s how he could help:1. Interior Defense \u2013 Okongwu\u2019s shot-blocking and mobility make him a strong pick-and-roll defender.2. Rebounding \u2013 His 8.9 rebounds per game would bolster L.A.\u2019s frontcourt.3. Offensive Upside \u2013 At just 24, he has room to grow, especially in pick-and-roll situations with LeBron James.However, timing is everything. The Lakers just committed to Ayton, who will almost certainly start at center and play heavy minutes. LaRavia, though not a true big man, will also compete for time in the frontcourt alongside players like Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and potentially LeBron James at the four. Adding Okongwu to this crowded rotation might complicate lineup flexibility and reduce roles for players already under contract. Financially, acquiring Okongwu would also put pressure on the Lakers\u2019 cap situation. He\u2019s on a sizable extension, and with the team already paying Ayton over $30 million per year, it\u2019s unclear whether they\u2019d want to invest so heavily in two non-shooting big men. Additionally, Okongwu\u2019s skill set overlaps with Ayton\u2019s in key areas like rebounding and interior scoring, while neither stretches the floor.<\/p>\n
Potential Trade Package<\/p>\n
The Los Angeles Lakers could offer a combination of future draft picks and young players. Possible assets include:- 2026 First-Round Pick- Jalen Hood-Schifino (Young guard with upside)- Max Christie (Wing with defensive potential)Also read: NBA Trade Rumors: Golden State Warriors might want $48,000,000 Milwaukee Bucks star to support Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler<\/a>With Porzi\u0146\u0123is now in Atlanta, Okongwu\u2019s role is uncertain. The Lakers should capitalize by pursuing a trade, especially if Kessler isn\u2019t an option. Okongwu\u2019s contract, defensive presence, and improving offense make him an ideal fit for L.A.\u2019s championship aspirations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Los Angeles Lakers eye Atlanta Hawks’ Onyeka Okongwu. This move follows Kristaps Porzingis’s arrival in Atlanta. Okongwu’s role…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":23614,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[21145,1055,355,21144,21143,99,21146],"class_list":["post-23613","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-anthony-davis-trade","tag-los-angeles-lakers","tag-nba","tag-nba-offseason-trades","tag-onyeka-okongwu","tag-sports","tag-walker-kessler"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23613","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23613"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23613\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23614"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23613"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23613"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23613"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"NBA](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/122774165.jpg\")
Los Angeles Lakers eye Atlanta Hawks’ Onyeka Okongwu. This move follows Kristaps Porzingis’s arrival in Atlanta. Okongwu’s role might diminish. Lakers see a trade opportunity. He offers defense and rebounding. His contract is team-friendly. Lakers could offer draft picks and young players. Okongwu fits Lakers’ championship goals. The team needs frontcourt help after trading Anthony Davis. The Los Angeles Lakers have made notable roster moves this offseason, acquiring Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia in separate deals to bolster their frontcourt. Ayton, a former No. 1 overall pick, provides interior scoring and rebounding, while LaRavia adds shooting depth at the forward position. With these additions, the Lakers seem to have solidified their rotation in the paint \u2014 but some fans and analysts have floated the idea of trading for Atlanta Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu. Is that move still necessary?<\/p>\n