Onyeka Okongwu was cleared on Friday, Oct. 16, coming off the day-to-day tag he had carried into the opener. He is available when Atlanta opens the 2026-27 season that night at Dallas.
What happened
The Hawks cleared Onyeka Okongwu on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7:15 p.m. ET, lifting the day-to-day status he had carried into the season opener. The 25-year-old forward-center first appeared day-to-day on Monday, Oct. 12, with a rest designation, remained day-to-day on Friday's earlier update, and was then cleared later that same day. The report lists no detail for the issue and no comment from the team on the clearance. No expected return date is listed, since he is no longer considered out or questionable.
What it means for the Hawks
Okongwu is available when the Hawks open the 2026-27 season Friday night at Dallas. Last season, he averaged 15.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 31.0 minutes across 74 games, and his clearance keeps that production in Atlanta's frontcourt from the start. The Hawks are 0-0, with the 2026-27 season not yet underway, so there is no record to compare with or without him. In games he has sat out, Jalen Johnson (35.2 minutes, 22.5 points), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (33.4 minutes, 20.8 points) and Dyson Daniels (33.2 minutes, 11.9 points) have absorbed the largest share of his minutes, with CJ McCollum, Trae Young, Keshon Gilbert, Kristaps Porzingis and Zaccharie Risacher also seeing bigger roles.
What to watch
The next Hawks injury report will show whether Okongwu's cleared status holds through the opening week. No expected return timeline applies, since he is no longer out or day-to-day. Atlanta's report still lists Henri Veesaar as out with a right knee and leg issue and Mouhamed Gueye as day-to-day with a left foot and leg issue as the team moves into its 2026-27 schedule.
Is Onyeka Okongwu playing at Mavericks?
Yes. The Hawks cleared him on Friday, Oct. 16, removing the day-to-day tag he had carried into the season opener at Dallas.
When will Onyeka Okongwu be back?
He already is back. He was cleared on Oct. 16 and is available for Atlanta's opener at Dallas; no absence is currently announced.