The Atlanta Hawks entered the offseason in need of a shake-up, and that's exactly what general manager Onsi Saleh has provided so far. The offseason additions of Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Luke Kennard have bolstered the Hawks' outlook before July's first week is over, and Atlanta fans can't wait to see what Saleh has in store next.
The NBA offseason has barely started, meaning there's plenty of time for the Hawks to add another potential contributor or two. Interestingly enough, a new name just hit free agency and it's someone whom Atlanta fans are somewhat familiar with.
Hawks Must Reunite with C Jock Landale Following Rockets Release
A big man is available to be signed now that the Houston Rockets have waived center Jock Landale, according to NBA insider Shams Charania. The Rockets were scheduled to pay Landale his guaranteed 2025-26 salary on July 7 as they sought a trade partner; however, his being waived implies that a deal just wasn't in the cards.
The Houston Rockets are waiving center Jock Landale ahead of his July 7 guarantee date, sources tell ESPN. Landale is expected to sign with his preferred destination upon clearing waivers.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2025
Landale, 29, is an Australian-born center who's played the last three seasons with the Rockets after debuting with the San Antonio Spurs in 2021-22. With that being said, his NBA career technically began with the Hawks. He joined Atlanta's Summer League roster after going undrafted in 2018 before heading overseas for stints in Serbia, Lithuania, and Australia.
A ton of overseas success ended up sparking a North American comeback for Landale. He won a bronze medal with Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics before helping lead Melbourne United to the 2021 NBL Championships, resulting in his being named the Grand Final MVP.
Even though he hasn't had similar success since moving back to the U.S., Landale has still had a solid career as a backup center. He's averaging 5.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and .518/.297/.765 shooting splits in 221 games (11 starts), and is coming off a 2024-25 campaign that saw him average a career-high 42.3% shooting on 0.6 three-point attempts per game.
Landale isn't someone who should be featured often, but he would be a solid bench name for the Hawks. He'd fit in nicely behind Porzingis and Onyeka Okongwu as the No. 3 center, especially with sheltered minutes limiting any shortcomings he might have.
At the end of the day, signing Landale would be a low-risk move that could pay off as the 2025-26 season progresses. The Hawks have little to lose by signing him to a cheap contract, especially considering that they showed interest in the 6-foot-11 veteran's services seven years ago.