The Hawks’ frontcourt picture got a lot murkier heading into Monday’s game against Indiana.
Atlanta listed Jalen Johnson as questionable with a left ankle sprain, while Jock Landale, Mouhamed Gueye and Henri Veesaar were all ruled out. Landale exited very early in yesterday’s loss to the Pelicans and never returned.
A player health update presented by @emoryhealthcare for tomorrow’s game at Indiana:Jalen Johnson (left ankle sprain): QuestionableMouhamed Gueye (left foot fracture): OutJock Landale (left hip strain): OutHenri Veesaar (torn right ACL): Out pic.twitter.com/qNu4DtRjmq
If Johnson can’t go, the Hawks will be in a tough spot up front. If he does play, the next question becomes who handles backup center duties. Atlanta doesn’t have a true third center on hand, so the options would be second-year forward Asa Newell or rookie Zuby Ejiofor.
Newell already got thrown into the fire last night and held up reasonably well. He played a little more than 18 minutes, scored 13 points and grabbed four rebounds. The three-ball wasn’t there - he went 1-for-6 from deep - but it was still a solid showing in unexpected minutes.
There’s also a bigger lineup puzzle waiting if Johnson is unavailable. Would Lu Dort move into the starting five?
Would Newell get the nod? Dort has been the backup power forward when the roster is healthy, but sliding him into the lineup would leave Atlanta very small.
Starting Newell would bring size and rebounding, though it would also create defensive questions.
Indiana has injury issues of its own, with star point guard Tyrese Haliburton out for the game. That absence figures to matter.
Atlanta, though, has its own bigger problem: it has to play better. The Hawks shot just 38.5% from the field and an ugly 17.4% from three in their last outing, and that kind of offensive night won’t cut it.
How Atlanta opens the game will also be worth watching. New Orleans jumped ahead by 17 in the first quarter last night, and Cleveland won the opening quarter by 15 in the game before that. The Hawks managed to rally against the Cavaliers, but they weren’t able to do the same against the Pelicans.
In Other News...
Hawks Just Sent A Clear Signal About Asa Newells Role
The Hawks made an early commitment to Asa Newell, exercising the 2027-28 team option on the second-year forwards contract and locking in his salary for that season. Newell, a first-round pick in 2025, has already been part of the organizations long-term planning, and this move gives Atlanta another clear sign that it still sees a future for him as part of the roster picture.
Newells path has not been a straight line, though, with the forward appearing in 47 games across his first two seasons as he continues to try to carve out a steadier role. The option decision came before the Nov. 2 deadline, and while it secures his place financially, it also leaves open the bigger question of how much of a role he can win as the Hawks keep sorting out their frontcourt rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Suddenly Have A Point Guard Problem They Cant Ignore
Kingston Flemings night ended early in a recent loss to the Pelicans, and the way it ended left the Hawks with more than just a bad result to sort through. The rookie point guard was ejected after a late incident involving Bryce McGowens, a moment that has now put his availability under the microscope as the league weighs whether further discipline is coming.
For Atlanta, the concern is bigger than one missed game. Flemings has been part of the rotation at a position where the Hawks do not have much margin for error, and any suspension would force the staff to lean even harder on its veteran backcourt help. With the guard room already thin, the team may have to adjust quickly if the league decides to add to the punishment. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Just Sent A Strong Message About Asa Newells Role
Asa Newells first night in the Hawks rotation came with more than just a chance to get on the floor. In the game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Atlanta gave the rookie real minutes and a real role, and he answered with a lively performance that fit the kind of energy this team has been searching for off the bench and around the edges of the rotation.
The timing of that usage matters, too, because the Hawks clearly are not treating Newell like a throw-in development piece. After his season debut, the organization moved quickly to show confidence in his place in the long-term picture, and his 19-minute outing only reinforced why. Even in a loss, he looked like a player who could carve out a bigger slice of the rotation sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]