Age: 32 years old (12th season)

Height, Weight: 6’11, 240 lbs

2023-24 Averages: 1.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game on 41.9%/33.3%/60.5% splits (43 games)

Career Averages: 7.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game on 52%/22%/72.7% shooting splits (552 games)

Even if Atlanta ends up being his last stop, Cody Zeller has carved out quite an impressive career for himself.

The veteran big man has never been at the top of the league’s center rankings, but he finds ways to impact the game and be helpful for his team. Whether that’s giving full effort on the boards, finishing plays or setting hard screens, he has earned his keep as a respectable veteran player,.

However, it’s unlikely that he will be able to make much of an impact for the Hawks.

The Hawks are very deep at center. Capela, Nance and Okongwu are a very capable trio of big men who will not limit the Hawks from running anything. Neither are elite at any particular skillset, but they are all capable starters in their role. Zeller is clearly a step behind all three. He has lost some of the athleticism of his younger days to compete on defense. Furthermore, he is not much of a three-point shooter, so he cannot fall back on that skill to supplement some of his decline. Atlanta also signed free-agent center Tony Bradley to a new deal.

General manager Landry Fields was fairly candid in his assessment of Zeller’s role on the team in 2024-25. He said this at Media Day:

“It’s still an evaluation right now as it relates to our roster and how that’s going to shape up going into training camp. “We’re in talks with his camp. Just kind of seeing what that’s going to look like for the future.” 

Due to him not playing in the Hawks preseason opener vs Indiana, it seems pretty clear that Zeller is going to be released as part of a buyout. That being said, there is still a chance that the Hawks decide to hold onto him. Okongwu has not yet recovered from his toe injury and the Hawks are an injury to Nance or Capela away from really needing Zeller for the start of the regular season.

If he does stick around for the Hawks, I would expect Zeller to be a part-time player. He does not have the athleticism to hold up as a starting center in the NBA anymore, but he can put forth a solid effort in 10-15 minutes of action. He can be a solid roll man in pick-and-roll actions with Trae Young, which is probably his main pathway towards being a useful offensive player for Atlanta.

On defense, I’m very skeptical that he can offer more than his size at this stage in his career. He’s 6’11 and the tallest person on the roster for the Hawks, but I am not sure if that can translate into real defensive impact.

Best-Case Scenario: Zeller steps into the backup role due to injuries and fits as a helpful veteran presence for Atlanta. He competes hard on defense, sets good screens and hits the occasional three when the defense ignores him.

Worst-Case Scenario:  N/A since the most likely outcome is Zeller being bought out. The worst-case scenario might be that he sticks on the roster and has to play due to injuries, but is not very effective.

ATLANTA –  Hurricane Helene has caused a critical shortage of intravenous (IV) fluids in metro Atlanta, with at least one major hospital rationing supplies after receiving less than half of its usual shipment. 

Children’s Hospital of Atlanta reported that its most recent delivery included only 40 percent of its normal supply. The hospital has instructed doctors to conserve IV fluids as much as possible without risking patient safety, following damage to a Baxter manufacturing plant in North Carolina, which produces about 60 percent of the nation’s IV fluids. 

“Hurricane Helene hit supply levels hard, including here in Atlanta,” said Dr. Cecil Bennett of Newnan Family Medicine. “IV fluids are absolutely critical in an emergency situation.” 

The shortage has raised concerns among medical professionals, including Dr. Bennett, who fears the situation may worsen before improving. “People sometimes come in with severe dehydration and need IV fluids, suffering a heart attack or a stroke may have a low blood pressure and need immediate IV fluids,” he explained. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized shipments from overseas to help meet the demand. However, Dr. Bennett warns that smaller practices, like his own, may face further difficulties. “I may not be able to get them in my practice, because my supply has to go up to the emergency,” he said. 

Bennett also emphasized the need for the healthcare system to reconsider its approach to inventory management. “I really believe that the healthcare system needs to reevaluate, right now, inventory approach, because they’re going to be shortages of other critical drugs in the future when we have these disasters.” he said. 

In a memo to staff, Children’s Hospital of Atlanta stated that it expects another shipment from Baxter next week. Baxter has projected that it will return to 100 percent of its normal supply by the end of 2024, though it may take longer for national levels to recover. 

Dr. Bennett expressed hope that the current crisis serves as a wake-up call for the medical community. “I would predict that in the future, this is going to happen more than not and this should be a wake-up call that we should actually look at all drugs that are critical and make sure we have surplus and not continue with this right not inventory approach.” 

Dumpling Factory
Sometimes, when a craving for Asian dumplings strikes, downtown traffic can make Buford Highway seem so far away. But the famed Northern China Eatery in Doraville has brought its signature recipes, plus steamer baskets aplenty, to an offshoot on the Westside.

Dumpling Factory is located in the food-and-drink enclave at the Westside Paper development, joining El Santo Gallo, Pancake Social, and King of Pops, among others. Fans of Northern China Eatery might consider this a place to savor the restaurant’s greatest hits, without the sometimes-long waits. Enter from the courtyard and you’re smack-dab in front of the order counter, with a clear view to the bustling kitchen. There, cooks crank out handmade dumplings, filled buns, “juicy” soup buns, and pot stickers, plus stir-fried rice, hot and cold noodle dishes, soups, and more.

Takeout business is brisk, but a scallion pancake doesn’t always travel well, so opt for the casual dining room if time allows. The space is bright, with sky-blue walls, tall windows, comfy booths, wooden banquettes, and high-top tables. The dangling red lanterns, potted orchids, and charming dumpling illustrations add a cheery touch, but your attention will likely be drawn to what’s in front of you: spicy Sichuan dan dan noodles; hefty steamed pork buns; pork and chive dumplings; crab roe soup dumplings; beef and carrot dumplings; tiger salad (green pepper, cilantro, and cucumber); shrimp fried rice; wonton soup; pan-fried lamb and zucchini dumplings; or chicken and corn pot stickers, to name a few of the many ways to load your table and share with friends (or not).

If you love dumplings and buns, you can’t order too many here. They come steamed, pan-fried, or boiled, with black vinegar and chili oil sauces on the side. It’s like dim sum till you drop. The restaurant does not serve alcohol, but Elsewhere Brewing’s Greenhouse Taproom is next door, and diners are welcome to bring their drafts in with them. Westside

La Glorieta
On the corner of a sleepy strip mall in Tucker sits a tropical gem serving comforting, soulful Honduran food that translates easily. Manager Isis Cornejo runs the restaurant owned by her Honduran husband, Nelson Flores, and his brother, Edgardo Flores. Their friendly, all-Honduran crew cooks street food (“La Glorieta” means “little kiosk,” explains Isis) that is typical of the Central American country—a place with both Caribbean and Pacific coastlines and cuisine influenced by African, Caribbean, European, and Indigenous cultures. Popular choices include baleadas (tortillas filled with a smear of refried red beans, queso duro, and crema, plus add-ons such as avocado, egg, chicken, or steak); pollo chuco, a dish of fried green bananas with fried chicken, cabbage, chismol (vegetable salsa with lime juice), pickled red onion, and dressing; and tacos dorados (made with chicken or steak). Aguas frescas in such flavors as pineapple and jamaica (hibiscus) are a perfect refresher. Big bottles of Jutiquile Sabor Olanchano, an aged hot sauce from Honduras, top each table. Tucker, (770) 864-1011

Nàdair
You need not know a whit about Scottish cuisine to appreciate Kevin Gillespie’s seasonal menu, memento-filled bar, and tartan-accented dining room—all honoring not only the chef’s family heritage but his Southern sensibilities as well. Nàdair (the Scots Gaelic word for “the way of nature”) now reigns in the former Floataway Cafe space. As you approach, the only signage is a mounted brass-and-bronze crest of a lion near the front door. Once you’re inside, a Celtic-huntsman’s vibe prevails in a bar with framed family tartans, grouse and pheasant illustrations, and mounted deer antlers. (Gillespie has even taken to wearing a kilt when cooking nightly at the restaurant.) Winning signature cocktails (the basil gimlet is divine) are a nice prelude to ordering a la carte at the bar. Making reservations is a must, however, for the full prix fixe dinner experience. Must-tries: wood oven–roasted Georgia mushrooms, wood-grilled Wagyu beef coulotte, grilled scallop and peach-glazed pork belly, and Grandma Coylene’s banoffee pie (salted graham crumble, toffee sauce, fried banana, and white chocolate cream). Scene-stealer: the Aberdeen Buttery, a stunning knotted dinner roll from sous-chef Olivia McCoy. North Druid Hills

This article appears in our October 2024 issue.

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