Atlanta Hawks Acquire Jock Landale
In a strategic move to strengthen their frontcourt, the Atlanta Hawks acquired center Jock Landale from the Utah Jazz, as reported by a source close to the situation on Wednesday evening. This transaction comes shortly after Landale was involved in a larger trade on Tuesday, where he, along with teammates Jaren Jackson Jr., John Konchar, and Vince Williams Jr., was sent to Utah by the Memphis Grizzlies. In return, the Grizzlies received Georges Niang, Kyle Anderson, Walter Clayton Jr., and Taylor Hendricks, as well as three first-round draft picks.
Landale’s Performance and Background
Landale, who stands at 6-foot-11 and hails from Australia, has made a significant impact this season, averaging 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds over the course of 45 games, 25 of which he started. This marks his fifth season in the NBA, during which he has previously played for franchises including the San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, and Houston Rockets. Prior to this season, his starting opportunities had been limited, with no more than four starts in the previous seasons.
Hawks’ Need for Reinforcements
The Hawks are particularly in need of reinforcements in the center position due to ongoing challenges with player availability; Kristaps Porzingis has struggled with injuries and illness, while N’Faly Dante is sidelined for the remainder of the season due to an injury.
Recent Trade Activity
This acquisition of Landale is the Hawks’ second trade in a flurry of activity leading up to the NBA’s trade deadline on Thursday. Earlier in the week, they traded forward Vit Krejci to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for injured center Duop Reath and draft picks slated for 2027 and 2030. Reath is recovering from surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot and has not participated in games since January 18.
