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A minor move could have much larger implications for the Atlanta Hawks (19-21) who agreed to a 10-day contract with free agent center Derrick Favors on Tuesday amid a lingering issue for starting center Clint Capela. Favors is a Georgia native and played his college ball in Atlanta at Georgia Tech.
Favors, 30, has not played yet this season after spending last year with the Oklahoma City Thunder but the 12-year veteran has played for four organizations including 10 years with the Utah Jazz after being traded for Deron Williams by the then-New Jersey Nets.
The 6-foot-9, 265-pound big man averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds for the Thunder last season and 10.6 points, 7.1 boards, 1.2 blocks, and 1.1 assists in his career.
It is the implications of this signing, however, that may have the most significant impact.
Big man Derrick Favors adds size, and insurance for Atlanta Hawks
Favors averaged 13.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks at his peak, a six-year span from 2014 to 2019. He made 65 starts on average in that time with at least 70 starts in four of the years. His durability has not simply fallen off of a cliff, either, as Favors made 68 appearances as a reserve in 2021.
Durability has been quite an issue for the Hawks with the frontcourt particularly impacted.
They already had to deal with an eight-game absence from John Collins, a stretch that saw them go 3-5. The Hawks have also been without Capela for the last seven straight games and 11 of their last 13 overall.
Capela’s absence has shown up mostly on the boards with the Hawks falling from ninth in the league before this stretch to 23rd during it.
Head coach Nate McMillan has tried to remain optimistic about Capela’s outlook for a return.
