This week, the Atlanta Hawks provided injury updates for multiple players, including Bogdan Bogdanovic. Out since Oct. 28 after undergoing a “non-surgical procedure” on his right hamstring, Bogdanovic “is progressing through his rehabilitation and will be re-evaluated in approximately one week,” according to the team.
Hawks Provide Injury Updates For 4 Notable Players
Trae Young, Kobe Bufkin, Vit Krejci, and Seth Lundy are recovering from myriad maladies as well. There’s no update on Young, who is currently out with right Achilles tendinitis. Due to the nature of his injury, he could be a day-to-day or sit out for multiple weeks. However, there are reports on the statuses of Bufkin, Krejci, and Lundy.
- Bufkin, who has been out since Oct. 19, is suffering from right shoulder subluxation. He’s “progressing through his rehabilitation and will be re-evaluated in approximately one week.”
- Krejci has been out since Oct. 28 with a right adductor strain. He’s also “progressing through his rehabilitation and will be re-evaluated in approximately one week.”
- Lundy, a two-way player, sprained his left ankle on Oct. 14. He’s “progressing through his rehabilitation and will be re-evaluated in approximately four weeks.”
With that information, the Hawks are largely trending in right direction health-wise. If all goes well, Bufkin and Krejci will return by the end of the month. Where they fit into the rotation is a fair question, but having them available is better than the alternative.
Prime Hunter Hours
2019 No. 4 pick De’Andre Hunter is also set to return soon as he’s recovered from his knee injury. 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher has started in his absence and performed admirably. However, Hunter has been sorely missed. The Virginia product has started the 2024-25 season averaging career-highs of 18.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 40.0 percent from three. Meanwhile, Risacher is averaging 11.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game on 24.6 percent shooting from three.
As a team, the Hawks are shooting 34.8 percent from three, 19th in the NBA. They’re in high spirits after a comeback win against the Boston Celtics in the 2024 In-Season Tournament opener. However, Atlanta is just 5-7 on the season. Their outside efficiency aside, the big problem for the Hawks has been defense.
Atlanta has the league-leader in steals per game in Dyson Daniels but that’s not enough. The Hawks rank 29th in opponents points per game (121.2) and 27th in defensive rating (118.3). Risacher has actually done quite well at that end, but having Hunter back will only raise their defensive floor.
The Bogdanovic Benefit
Bogdanovic will have to prove he can maintain the defensive intensity he displayed for Serbia during the Paris Olympics. If not, he may make the Hawks’ defensive numbers look even worse. However, he’ll definitely be a valuable contributor offensively when he returns.
Since he’s been out, Garrison Mathews has been the primary benefactor. To be honest, he’s been so dialed-in offensively —shooting 46.7 percent from three —that Hawks head coach Quin Snyder might still have to find minutes for him. Nonetheless, Bogdanovic is a more advanced shot-creator and playmaker than Mathews.
With him back in the fold, the Hawks’ increasingly balanced attack will only get more versatile.
