Report: Hawks agree to sign center Gorgui Dieng

The Atlanta Hawks have reportedly filled the backup center role that has been left vacant by the shoulder injury to Onyeka Okongwu by agreeing to a 1-year, $4 million contract with veteran Gorgui Dieng, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reports.

Okongwu is slated to miss multiple months to start the 2021-22 season following surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder, so Dieng will ideally slide into those backup minutes behind Clint Capela in the absence of the 2020 No. 6 overall pick. Dieng is a veteran who has split eight seasons between Minnesota, Memphis and San Antonio, though nearly seven of those season were with the Timberwolves before he bounced between the Grizzlies and Spurs over the past two seasons.

Dieng averages 7.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game for his career, and is a 35.7% three-point shooter since entering the league. His three-point volume is a plus at the center position, as he averages 6.3 three-point attempts per 100 possessions since the beginning of the 2019 season.

The Hawks have now made two depth-filling moves to start free agency with the addition of Dieng and re-signing of Solomon Hill. The impending restricted free agency of John Collins is one of the bigger dominoes yet to fall around the league, and while anticipation for a new deal is great, there may be a waiting game for Collins to play in regards to fielding offers from other teams who may have missed out on their initial free agent targets.

Stay tuned.