The Hawks could be heading into Friday night’s NBA Cup Group Play matchup with the Washington Wizards short-handed again in the frontcourt.
Jalen Johnson is listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain, and he’s been on the injury report all week. He already sat out Atlanta’s last two games, missing Monday’s win over the Pacers and Wednesday’s win over the Wizards.
Atlanta’s injury list otherwise stays the same. Asa Newell is out with a left great toe hyperextension, Jock Landale is sidelined by a left hip strain, Keshon Gilbert is dealing with left knee inflammation, and Mouhamed Gueye and Henri Veesaar will also miss the game. Newell is the newest name on the report after getting hurt in the first half of last night’s win over the Wizards and not returning.
If Johnson can’t play, the Hawks will have to patch things together again up front. Lu Dort would be in line to start in his place, Corey Kispert would likely pick up minutes against his former team as the backup power forward, and Zuby Ejiofor would serve as the backup center.
If Johnson is cleared, Kispert may be the odd man out of the rotation. He has knocked down shots when he’s been on the floor, but his defense remains an issue.
Ejiofor made the most of his chance off the bench last night, turning in 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals. In his first run as the backup center, he stood out enough to make a case for more minutes going forward.
Quin Snyder said he wasn’t surprised by Ejiofor’s performance and explained why the Hawks drafted him in the first round:
"We're a young team and we're a new team you know and Zuby is one of those guys so we're we’re trying to you know forge an identity and the way that Zuby plays fits that identity that we're working towards. And when I say that, the competitiveness, the toughness, the focus defensively.
And for a coach, anytime you have a player that you can put out on the defensive end, it makes you comfortable. And he was able to do that.
He did it without fouling.
One time he was in front of our bench and I kept yelling at him because he was poking. I always thought he was going to.
He ran the court, like all the plays that require energy, just playing hard. He provides that.
So he's got a really bright future ahead. And I think it's always important to recognize that and then recognize also the growth process.
And you can do both at once. But tonight, for him to step up against a team that has the players they do inside was big for us."
Johnson’s status is the one to watch before Friday’s game.
In Other News...
Hawks Rookie Has A Rare Chance To Challenge A Franchise Icon
Kingston Flemings is already getting a kind of rookie assignment most first-year players never see. The recent top-ten pick stepped into his first career start against Washington and handled the moment well enough to help Atlanta come away with a victory, a strong early sign that the Hawks are willing to put real responsibility on his shoulders right away.
The next meeting with the Wizards brings an even more unusual wrinkle, because Flemings is expected to start again while sharing the floor with Trae Young, one of the franchises defining names. For a rookie still settling into the league, it is a rare chance to measure himself in a game that carries both immediate stakes and a little extra symbolism for a Hawks team that has already shown it trusts him in a bigger role than most first-year players get. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Frontcourt Just Took Another Hit Fans Wont Like
The Hawks frontcourt depth took another hit with Asa Newell sidelined after suffering a left great toe hyperextension. Atlanta said he will be reevaluated in about two weeks, though the recovery could stretch beyond that point, adding another layer of uncertainty to a roster already dealing with multiple injuries.
Keshon Gilbert also remains out after undergoing a non-surgical procedure for left knee inflammation, and he is due to be reevaluated in roughly six weeks. With several Hawks still on the shelf, the injury list is starting to shape the teams day-to-day options in a way that could force more lineup shuffling than anyone in Atlanta would like. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Draft Outlook Already Fuels A Real Roster Debate
The Hawks are already in the familiar spot of weighing fit against upside as the draft picture comes into focus, and the names on the board hint at the kind of roster debate that tends to follow Atlanta this time of year. Hugo Yimga-Moukouri, Dylan Mingo and Braylon Mullins all bring different skill sets, and each would ask something a little different of the Hawks system and long-term plans.
Atlantas draft position should only sharpen the conversation, since the team is set to receive the less favorable pick between New Orleans and Milwaukee and is likely to land in the lottery range. For a club trying to balance immediate help with future flexibility, the question is less about whether there will be options and more about which direction best fits the roster the Hawks are trying to build. [Read more 🡒]