The Atlanta Hawks drafted two big men but may not be done at center. Here are three Hawks center trade targets to watch this offseason.
The Atlanta Hawks selected two big men in the 2026 NBA Draft. The rumors suggest that they might not be done filling out the center spot.
That makes sense. Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar both have potential. Either could be an intriguing long-term rotation piece for the Hawks, but this is a win-now team. The Hawks won't want to rely too heavily on rookies in 2026-27.
So, they could pursue a big man on the trade market. There should be plenty of options.
Here are three centers they could look to acquire this summer.
Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans are also at a crossroads when it comes to the center position.
They gave up a meaningful asset to land Derik Queen, so they might want to commit to him. Unfortunately, his fit with Zion Williamson is suboptimal. That leaves Missi on the outside looking in. How many non-shooting frontcourt players can the Pelicans handle?
Perhaps they'll finally trade Williamson, but the easier route could be to move Missi. He should have trade value. Missi is an excellent rebounder and solid interior defender who can finish the pick-and-roll with ease.
That said, if that's the type of big man the Hawks are looking for, there could be a better option on the market.
Daniel Gafford, Dallas Mavericks
When it comes to finishing the pick-and-roll, few players are as efficient as Gafford. He's a career 70.2% shooter from the field. Rest assured that most of those field goal attempts have been dunks. Gafford is also a more polished defender than Missi.
What's not to love?
Well, the answer is durability. Gafford hasn't played 60 games in either of the last two seasons. He's injury-prone, and in some respects, that's the worst quality an NBA player could have.
That's why he could be available at a discount. If the Mavericks would like to move off of Gafford's deal, it would be worth the Hawks' time to take it off their hands, unless they want a different type of big man. The Hawks may feel they need a floor spacer. If so, the choice becomes obvious.
Myles Turner, Milwaukee Bucks
That said, Turner will be a hot commodity. Big men who shoot threes and protect the rim do not grow on trees.
Although some would dispute Turner's status as a rim protector. His reputation as a defender took a hit this year. That's fair, but it feels possible that he's been disengaged on a sinking ship in Milwaukee.
In Atlanta, he'd be on a team with serious playoff aspirations. Turner could get back to his defensive ways, and he's been one of the best shooting 5s in the NBA for a long time. Turner could be the acquisition that puts the Hawks into the NBA title picture. And he'll give the Hawks' rookies lots of time to grow.
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