Dewayne Dedmon Ankle Injury Diagnosed as Avulsion Fracture

Atlanta Hawks center Dewayne Dedmon suffered an avulsion fracture of his left ankle and will be re-evaluated in one week.

Dedmon was injured during a workout last week.

The veteran big man averaged a career-high 10.0 points and 7.9 rebounds during his first season with the Hawks. He missed 20 games due to injury and has missed extended time in three of the last four years.

Atlanta would likely turn to Alex Len as its starting center if Dedmon is forced to miss any of the regular season. Len signed a two-year contract this summer after spending his first five seasons with the Phoenix Suns.

The Hawks aren't competing for anything other than draft position this season, so there's not much reason for concern. Dedmon's injury isn't believed to be serious, though he will wear a walking boot while he recovers.

It's likely he'll return at some point during the preseason. If there's any negative effect for him, it could come if Len breaks out and overtakes him as a starter. Dedmon has never played more than 24.9 minutes per game in the NBA, and the playing time already looked like a split on paper.

If Len shows flashes of what made him a 2013 lottery pick, Dedmon could wind up on the losing end of that timeshare.