Hawks' De'Andre Hunter Out vs. Lakers After MRI Reveals Knee Injury
The Atlanta Hawks announced Saturday that forward De'Andre Hunter will miss Monday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers after he underwent a nonsurgical procedure on his right knee.
Hunter's status will be reviewed next week amid a busy schedule, with the Hawks also set to face the Dallas Mavericks (Wednesday), Utah Jazz (Thursday) and Toronto Raptors (Saturday).
The 2019 fourth overall pick had been listed on the injury report recently with right knee soreness, which caused him to miss a Jan. 20 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Hunter has been an important piece for Atlanta when healthy. He's averaged 17.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 51.4 percent from the field across 18 appearances. Those numbers are all improvements from his rookie season, including a 10.4-point jump in shooting percentage.
The 23-year-old Philadelphia native has also provided strong defense while often being tasked with matching up with the opponent's top wing scorer. Put it all together, and he ranks seventh among NBA small forwards in ESPN's real plus-minus.
"I wanted to take that next step as a player," Hunter told reporters after Sunday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks that saw him score a team-high 33 points. "It was something I talked about with the coaches. I just try to go out there and execute. That's it."
The Hawks will hope he can make a quick recovery because his two-way contributions will be crucial if they're going to build off a solid 10-9 start.
Solomon Hill figures to join the starting lineup for the duration of Hunter's absence. It could also create additional opportunities for Danilo Gallinari, Onyeka Okongwu and Tony Snell.
Atlanta has a rare three-day break after next Saturday's game against the Raptors, which could be helpful if Hunter needs a little extra time to recover before his return.
