Category: Atlanta Hawks Blog

Atlanta Hawks blog

Forward Danilo Gallinari should return to action soon for Hawks

Atlanta Hawks forward Danilo Gallinari, out with a right ankle sprain since December 30, has progressed to half-court individual workouts and will now be re-introduced to contact activity.

The team is currently listing him as Doubtful for Monday’s game vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Galinari has played in just two games so far this season, averaging 9.0 points in 14.0 minutes per outing.

The Hawks are 5-6 so far this season. They’re being led in scoring by Trae Young at 22.9 points per game, John Collins at 16.4 ppg, De’Andre Hunter at 16.1 ppg, and Cam Reddish at 12.2 ppg.

Injury updates on Hawks players Bogdan Bogdanovic and Kris Dunn

Further analysis on Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (avulsion fracture, right knee on Jan. 9) has confirmed no associated injury to knee ligaments. He has begun early stage rehabilitation. A timetable for his recovery has not been determined.

Guard Kris Dunn (right ankle surgery on Dec. 29) had his walking boot removed today, and he has progressed into weight-bearing rehabilitation and modified form shooting. He will be reviewed in two weeks and an update will be provided.

Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce is reportedly self-isolating for safety

The head coach of the Atlanta Hawks is reportedly making sure to stay safe. Via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce is self-isolating in his hotel room in Phoenix due to potentially close contact with a member of the Hawks traveling staff who has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The person who tested positive is not a player.

Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic out with knee injury

Atlanta Hawks shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic suffered a right knee injury during the second quarter of last night’s game against the Hornets on the road in Charlotte and didn’t return to the contest.

Following an MRI earlier today at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex, he has been diagnosed with an avulsion fracture in his right knee with associated soft tissue inflammation and a bone bruise.

His treatment plan is being reviewed and will be updated later this week.

The Hawks are off to a decent 4-5 start so far this season. They’re being led in scoring by Trae Young at 24.7 points per game, John Collins at 17.2 PPG, De’Andre Hunter at 16.4 PPG, Kevin Huerter at 12.2 PPG off the bench, Cam Reddish at 11.6 PPG, and Bogdanovic mostly off the bench at 9.9 PPG.

Hawks guard Rajon Rondo out with knee soreness

Atlanta Hawks guard Rajon Rondo will enter a period of rest and rehabilitation to strengthen his right knee.

After missing two games with left knee soreness, he was medically cleared for last night’s game against New York. But he will miss the next three games and will be reviewed prior to the team’s three-game West Coast trip.

The Hawks are 4-3 so far this season. In 15.5 minutes per game, Rondo is averaging 6.0 points and 7.0 assists. That’s just in two games played, though.

Hawks guard Kris Dunn undergoes arthroscopic ankle surgery

Hawks guard Kris Dunn recently underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove loose cartilage in his right ankle.

He will be placed in a walking boot, and after two weeks of rest, his health status will be reviewed.

Per the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “I know (vice president of athletic performance and sports medicine Chelsea Lane has) been in communication with (him) and the family,” Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce said Thursday (the team is still in Brooklyn, and will face the Nets again Friday). “It sounds as if everything went well, as well as the surgery can go, and he’s staying here at the hotel. But he’s post-op and laying low.”

Hawks guard Kris Dunn to undergo arthroscopic surgery on ankle

Atlanta Hawks guard Kris Dunn underwent an MRI on Nov. 24th, which confirmed cartilage disruption in his right knee. He has been able to participate in modified individual workouts and modified team practice.

While showing steady improvement from the cartilage disruption in his right knee, Dunn began experiencing discomfort in his right ankle and low back as his on-court loads increased.

A recent MRI revealed loose cartilage inhibiting his range of motion in the ankle and creating compensations in his knees and low back. A tele-visit with Dr. Martin O’Malley of the Hospital of Special Surgery in New York on Dec. 23rd confirmed the diagnosis.

Dunn is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove the loose cartilage in his right ankle on Wednesday, Dec. 30 at the Hospital of Special Surgery.

Atlanta Hawks exercise contract options on Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish

The Atlanta Hawks have exercised the fourth-year (2021-22) contract options on Kevin Huerter and Trae Young, along with the third-year (2021-22) options on De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish.

Entering his third season with the Hawks, Huerter last season averaged 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 31.4 minutes (.413 FG%, .380 3FG%, .828 FT%) in 56 contests (48 starts). He finished second on the team with 127 3FGM, including two games with a career-high-tying six triples. He scored in double-figures 35 times, including six games with 20-or-more points. Through 131 contests (107 starts) in two seasons, he holds career averages of 10.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 29.1 minutes (.416 FG%, .383 3FG%, .783 FT%). The 19th overall pick in 2018, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2018-19.

Also entering his third year and an Eastern Conference All-Star starter last season, Young put up 29.6 points, 9.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 35.3 minutes (.437 FG%, .361 3FG%, .860 FT%) in 60 starts, ranking second in the NBA in assists, fourth in scoring, 10th in minutes and 26th in free-throw percentage. Young led the Eastern Conference in assists for the second straight season and hit double digits in scoring 57 times, including 49 contests with at least 20 points. Through 141 games (all starts) in his two seasons, he’s averaged 23.6 points, 8.6 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 32.8 minutes (.428 FG%, .344 3FG%, .847 FT%). Young, the fifth overall pick in 2018, was a unanimous selection to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2018-19.

As a rookie last season, Hunter averaged 12.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 32.0 minutes (.410 FG%, .355 3FG%, .764 FT%). Among qualifying rookies, he ranked first in minutes per game, fifth in free-throw percentage, tied for fifth in three-point percentage, sixth in rebounding, seventh in field goal percentage and tied for seventh in scoring. He scored in double-figures 42 times, including eight games with 20-or-more, and recorded 15 games with at least three three-pointers, the third-highest total by a rookie in Hawks history. The fourth overall pick in 2019, he is one of three rookies in league history to reach 12.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.8 apg, 32.0 mpg and 100 triples on .350 3FG% (Stephen Curry, Shane Battier).

Reddish averaged 10.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 26.7 minutes as a rookie last season. Among qualifying first-year players, he ranked second in steals per game, ninth in minutes per game, three-point percentage and blocks per game, 11th in points and rebounds per game. He placed second among rookies in steals (62) and had at least eight games with three steals, the second-highest total among rookies. The 10th overall pick in 2019, Reddish was also one of three rookies last season to compile at least 100 FTM (101) and 80 3FGM (83).

Clint Capela makes debut in a Hawks jersey

NBA preseason began yesterday. It’ll be an incredibly brief period of exhibition games, with the regular season starting December 22.

One of the teams making the biggest splashes this offseason was the Atlanta Hawks, who fell 116-102 to the Orlando Magic. But one key Hawks addition was made last season: center Clint Capela, who arrived to the team while injured. He made his debut yesterday. Via the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

Not long after Lloyd Pierce subbed Clint Capela out in the fourth quarter, Capela asked him if he could get back in the game.

Capela was about four minutes under the 24-to-25 minute restriction Pierce had assigned everyone, but he decided to keep the center, making his debut in a Hawks jersey and playing in his first NBA setting since Jan. 29, out for the final stretch of the game…

Most of the returning Hawks players haven’t played since March 11, but Capela has been out even longer, bothered by a nagging heel injury until he eventually started feeling better this summer. He’s now fully healthy, but it will take a while for him to get back in game shape. In just 20 minutes, though, he already helped alleviate the Hawks’ rebounding woes.

Capela finished with 14 rebounds (nine defensive, five offensive) in a smaller amount of playing time than he’ll normally get, and helped the Hawks out-rebound the Magic, 61-49.

A number of key Hawks played very limited minutes yesterday, and didn’t have their best games. But the squad is one to watch once the season begins.

The Atlanta Hawks had a busy NBA offseason

Last season’s Hawks won’t be this season’s Hawks. Things changed over the offseason. Via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Overall, the Hawks added nine new faces as they revamped their roster this offseason with an eye on winning now, as opposed to gathering assets and rebuilding for the future as they’ve done in recent years. Some of the most notable additions include a handful of experienced veterans (Danilo Gallinari, Rajon Rondo, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kris Dunn, Tony Snell, Solomon Hill) who will be expected to contribute from the get-go, but also share what they’ve learned with the Hawks’ young core of players, most of which is still quite young.

Some of that may be X’s and O’s-related, some of that may be more intangible.

Immediately, though, many returning players have noticed an increased amount of team communication, which is a good sign on a team that often struggled to talk enough on the court last season. Some of that came simply from having quieter players on the roster, and some of it was because the Hawks had several rookies and young players getting heavy playing time while still learning the NBA.

The Hawks finished 20-47 in the coronavirus-shortened 2019-20 NBA season. Trae Young put up 29.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game, but there weren’t a lot of bright spots in Atlanta beyond those numbers. But now, on paper, a squad is emerging.