The Atlanta Hawks could be without a key piece of their second unit when they take on the Miami Heat tomorrow, as Aaron Wiggins has landed on the injury report with a left knee contusion and is listed as questionable.
That’s a notable wrinkle for Atlanta, especially with the team trying to shake off back-to-back losses to the Houston Rockets. The Hawks are aiming to get back in the win column in their fifth game of the season, and this matchup carries some weight: a victory would give them a third win over a divisional opponent and drop Miami to a surprising 0-5 start.
Atlanta’s injury report also lists Mohamed Gueye out with a left foot fracture and Henri Veesaar out with a torn right ACL. Jock Landale, dealing with a nasal fracture, is available, which has been the case for the past three games.
If Wiggins can’t go, the Hawks would be missing what has been their most effective bench weapon so far. He’s averaging 15.8 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting 53.5% from the field and 48% from three, production that has put him in the mix early for both 6th Man of the Year and Most Improved Player.
Without him, Atlanta would need others to step into larger bench roles. Lu Dort, Kingston Flemings, and Landale would be tasked with soaking up those minutes, while Quin Snyder could also look to Corey Kispert for shooting help. Kispert’s defense is a downgrade from Wiggins’, but he has knocked down shots in limited action this season.
Another option would be a tighter eight-man rotation built around the starters plus Landale, Flemings, and Dort. That group has struggled to shoot the ball effectively so far this season, and Atlanta already had issues from deep against Houston. If Wiggins sits, and with him one of the Hawks’ best three-point threats, the margin gets even thinner.
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Zaccharie Risacher Move Just Put Hawks' Long-Term Faith In Doubt
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Dallas has now added another layer to that outlook by committing to Risachers future at a stage when teams are usually still sorting out what kind of player they have. The different environments matter here: one club moved on from him, while the other is signaling belief in where his game can go, leaving Atlanta fans to wonder how the trajectory would have looked if he had stayed put. [Read more 🡒]