Henri Veesaar’s first season with the Hawks has already been derailed before it ever got started.
Atlanta said in a press release that the rookie center tore the ACL in his right knee during a workout on September 15. He’s set to have surgery next month, and the team expects him to miss the entire 2026/27 season.
The injury lands especially hard for a player who was just beginning to turn heads. After three years in a limited role at Arizona - including a redshirt season as a sophomore - Veesaar broke out at North Carolina in 2025/26. He became the Tar Heels’ full-time starting center and averaged 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 blocks in 31 games.
He did plenty of damage around the rim, hitting 67.7% of his 8.0 two-point tries per game. He also stretched the floor, making 42.6% of his 3.0 three-point attempts per contest. The one rough edge was the line, where he shot 61.5% on 3.8 free throws per game.
Veesaar had been viewed by many draft experts as a late first-round talent, but he slid to No. 52 in June, when Atlanta moved up from No. 57 to grab him. Reports during the second round indicated other teams had interest, but his camp was pushing for a team that would offer a standard contract and a place on the 15-man roster.
The Hawks gave him that opportunity in July, signing him to a four-year, $9.26MM deal. The first two seasons are guaranteed, the third is non-guaranteed, and the fourth is a team option.
For Atlanta, the timing couldn’t be much worse. The team was already thin up front after Mouhamed Gueye fractured his foot in July and had surgery to address it. Gueye is expected to be reevaluated within the next month or two.
And the roster situation is getting tight. The Hawks have reportedly been talking with the Hornets about a trade involving Buddy Hield and Dorian Finney-Smith, while also carrying 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts plus Gueye on a non-guaranteed deal. If Atlanta waives Gueye, the team would still be responsible for paying him until he’s fully recovered from the injury.
In Other News...
Hawks May Have Found A Trade That Changes Their Roster Crunch
The Hawks offseason roster puzzle may be getting a little clearer, with Atlanta and Charlotte reportedly talking about a deal that would involve Buddy Hield and Dorian Finney-Smith ahead of the 2026-2027 NBA season. Finney-Smith already landed with the Hornets earlier this offseason, while Hields salary for next season was guaranteed by the Hawks, putting his contract squarely into the conversation as Atlanta looks for ways to manage its roster and future cap picture.
For a team trying to balance flexibility with actual playing time, the matchup makes some sense on paper. Even so, the math would not fully solve everything, and Atlanta would still be working through a crowded roster picture if talks move forward. No agreement is done yet, but the possibility of another move hanging over the Hawks is exactly the kind of thing that can shape how the rest of the offseason unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Frontcourt Depth Just Took A Hit Atlanta Could Feel All Year
The Hawks frontcourt plans took a jolt in mid-September when rookie center Henri Veesaar went down with a torn right ACL during a workout, a setback that will keep him out for the entire 2026-2027 season. The injury is expected to send him into surgery and a long rehabilitation process, interrupting what had been a promising early path with Atlanta as he looked to get his footing at the NBA level.
Veesaar was one of the names set to help stabilize the back end of the rotation, and his absence leaves the Hawks thinner in a part of the roster already dealing with issues. Forward Mouhamed Gueye is still recovering from a foot injury, adding another layer of uncertainty as Atlanta tries to sort out its depth and keep enough reliable size available for the long haul. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Suddenly Have A Center Rotation Question Before Opening Night
The Hawks frontcourt picture took an immediate hit before opening night when rookie center Henri Veesaar went down with a torn ACL in his right knee. The injury wipes out what had been a developmental option for Atlanta in the middle and thins out a group that was already going to be worth watching closely as the season approached.
Atlanta still has established centers Onyeka Okongwu and Jock Landale to anchor the rotation, but Veesaars absence changes the depth chart behind them. It also opens the door for other young bigs to see more time, with Asa Newell and Zuby Ejiofor now standing to benefit if the Hawks decide to spread those extra center minutes around. [Read more 🡒]