Atlanta Hawks Announce Important Two-Way Signing Following N'Faly Dante Injury News

Atlanta had to make a move today to bolster their center depth and they made an intriguing two-way pickup today

Mar 9, 2022; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward Malik Williams (5) controls the ball against Virginia Cavaliers forward Jayden Gardner (1) during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

When the season began, the Atlanta Hawks looked like they had one of the best frontcourts and center situations in the NBA. They had just traded for Kristaps Porzingis, Onyeka Okongwu showed a lot of growth as the starter on the previous year's team, and Atlanta was able to smartly sign away N'Faly Dante from the Rockets. Dante had shown a lot of potential last season as a two-way player and the Hawks got him in the event that Porzingis would miss games.

Fast forward to today and the Hawks might be in the most dire position in the NBA when it comes to their centers.

Atlanta still has Okongwu, who is playing pretty solid basketball, but Porzinigs has missed several games and is currently out with an illness. Today, it was announced that Dante had torn his ACL and would be out for the rest of the season.

Shortly after that news, Atlanta announced the signing of former Louisville center Malik Williams.

We have signed Malik Williams to a two-way contract.

Read more ⤵️https://t.co/g5ZwjATwh2

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 23, 2025

Can Williams make an impact?

Williams has seen action in 14 games with the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League this season (Tip-Off Tournament and regular season), averaging career highs of 16.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, in addition to 1.5 assists in 24.6 minutes of play.

In 12 games during the Tip-Off Tournament, he recorded 16.1 points and 10.7 rebounds, one of only eight players in the NBA G League to average at least 15.0 points and 10.0 boards in the Tip-Off portion of the season. He secured seven double-doubles within a 10-game span (Nov. 29-Dec. 22), including posting back-to-back outings with 20+ points and 15+ rebounds (Dec. 12, Dec. 14).

The 6-11 center has appeared in seven career NBA games, all during the 2023-24 season with the Toronto Raptors, averaging 2.7 points and 5.4 rebounds in 15.3 minutes of action.

In 100 NBA G League contests (75 starts) across three seasons with Sioux Falls (2023-25) and College Park, Williams owns career averages of 13.0 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.3 blocks in 24.6 minutes.

Undrafted in 2022, the Fort Wayne, Indiana, native suited up in 31 games for Anwil Wloclawek (Poland) in 2022-23, notching 8.1 points and 5.5 rebounds in 17.7 minutes.

In 122 collegiate games (62 starts) across a five-season career at Louisville, Williams averaged 7.2 points and 5.5 rebounds in 17.9 minutes. The first three-year team captain in program history, he earned MVP honors at the 2021 Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship, finishing with 13 points, 12 rebounds and a career-best four steals against Maryland in the title game.

Atlanta was already playing Onyeka Okongwu heavy minutes, with Mouhamed Gueye and rookie Asa Newell giving the backup minutes. Both Gueye and Newell are better fits at power forward and not used the best at center. Not only that, but Gueye is out tonight vs the Bulls, leaving the Hawks with fewer options.

Their ability to fix their center depth and overall defense are going to be the two issues between the Hawks becoming a threat in the Eastern Conference or just being another play-in team, which is what they have been in the seasons since making the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021. How they handle both problems will be telling and they only have so much time in their season to get things turned around.