The Atlanta Hawks have seen the majority of their playing group take part in various pro-ams and international tournaments. While they need to stay active from a basketball standpoint, there is always the risk of players getting injured in a competitive matchup.
While it is easy to say that the games that they are playing are not NBA level, it is often easier to get injured in a game where the opposition is not at the same level. Every time a player hits the floor or turns an ankle, general managers around the league take a collective gasp.
The CrawsOver pro-am was recently canceled due to condensation on the floor which was caused by the humidity in the Seattle area. MarJon Beauchamp slipped while going for an open layup and the professionals decided to not risk their season and called the game off.
What does Chet Holmgren have to do with the Atlanta Hawks?
Chet Holmgren only played two minutes before the second pick from this season’s NBA draft injured his ankle. Fortunately, the injury does not appear to be too bad but just imagine if the injury was a knee injury requiring surgery or even an Achillies.
The Hawks have had the worst luck with injury over the past two seasons. They have had key players out for almost all of that time and they do not need this to be the case this season. If they have a serious injury to a key player then they will waste a year of Trae Young’s career which they cannot afford to do.
The Hawks franchise needs to be managing their players in these pro-ams and international tournaments, which I am sure that they are doing. While staying in shape is crucial, staying healthy is the key to the offseason so that they can come back to training camp to work on chemistry.