The Atlanta Hawks are in the midst of a rather average campaign after acquiring Dejounte Murray last summer. But, it does appear they will be in the play-in tournament, despite a pedestrian 38-39 record. While Murray and Trae Young are the stars of this team, De'Andre Hunter is a very important role player for this franchise and after he missed Friday's loss to the Brooklyn Nets, there was some concern.
That being said, Hunter looks to be fine. The former Virginia standout had an MRI Saturday and is just dealing with a bone bruise and muscle strain in his knee. He's day-to-day moving forward, as reported by the Hawks.
Atlanta did say Hunter would be unavailable to suit up on Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks. They have two days off after that before a back-to-back, therefore the forward could be held out until Wednesday's matchup versus Washington.
The 25-year-old is putting up 15.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and dishing out 1.4 assists per contest in 2022-23, ranking third on the Hawks in scoring behind their dynamic backcourt duo. He's also shooting 35% from long range, starting in all of his 65 appearances. His scoring numbers are a career-high.
If Quin Snyder's group is going to make any noise in the play-in and beyond though, it'll be crucial that Hunter is healthy. Considering it's not a serious injury, he shouldn't be out too long.
Definitely a relief for a Hawks team who needs all the help they can get this season. Atlanta is currently in eighth and four games out of the sixth seed in the playoffs.
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