The Atlanta Hawks are already dealing with injuries as the season starts. Kobe Bufkin may be out for an extended amount of time with a right shoulder injury, and now the Hawks could be faced with another injury with Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Bogdanovic played in the season opener but was ruled out against the Charlotte Hornets with right hamstring tendinopathy. Before their game against the Hornets, head coach Quin Snyder offered an update on Bogdanovic's status moving forward.
“Lingering is kind of ambiguous with these types of things,” Snyder said. “There’s a process that you have to go through. He hasn’t played a lot in the preseason, probably half of the games, which is reflective of 80 or 79 games the last regular season and a full summer of training and competition. We’re aware of that, and as a result, we want him to be 100% or, if not, close to it, [and] he’s not there.”
Bogdanovic did indeed have a long summer, playing in the Paris Olympics for Serbia as they won the bronze medal game against Germany. Coming into the preseason, he didn't play that much, and it may have been because he was dealing with something minor. Last season was one of Bogdanovic's healthiest, and he had an argument of being in the Sixth Man of the Year conversations, averaging 16.9 points per game.
Hawks dealing with several injuries to start the season
Along with Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kobe Bufkin has a right shoulder subluxation. Bufkin was set to be the backup point guard behind Trae Young, and now they'll have to find other plays to handle the ball when he goes to the bench.
For Bufkin, he's had a history of injuries in only his second season, and this is the same right shoulder that he injured during the summer and was ruled out for the NBA 2K25 Summer League. During his rookie season, he missed time with a fractured thumb.
Vit Krejci could be the top option to play the backup guard with Bufkin and Bogdanovic sidelined, and through his time with the Hawks, he’s shown that he could be a secondary ball-handler who can make plays and get others involved. During the preseason, Krejci saw a lot of time on the court playing alongside Bufkin and helping him as another ball-handler, and now the Hawks may decide to put the ball more in his hand.
Dyson Daniels has shown how much of an impact he’ll have on the defensive side of the ball and will be a good pairing alongside Trae Young in the starting lineup, but he can also take care of some of the ball-handling duties when Young is on the bench.