Yesterday, horrible news came out of Houston: Fred VanVleet tore his ACL. While little details beyond the diagnosis are available, it is safe to say VanVleet will not see the floor anytime soon.
The Rockets now find themselves in a tight spot. VanVleet is the only proven point guard on the roster, thrusting the 2024 third pick, Reed Sheppard, into the spotlight. This loss is particularly tragic for the team, given that they just traded two young players and a pick for Kevin Durant in hopes of competing for a title. There might not be a next year for this squad, with Durant's contract expiring this offseason. Unless Sheppard can defy all expectations, Houston's title hopes are close to gone.
The Hawks also made a series win-now move this offseason, offloading a pick for Kristaps Porzingis (and to get off of Terrance Mann's contract), and spending nearly $30 million on Luke Kennard and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
The Hawks cannot end up like the Rockets, whose brilliant offseason was derailed by just one injury.
VanVleet's injury serves as a reminder that the Hawks need depth now
The Hawks have a concerning lack of depth behind Trae Young and Jalen Johnson. Sure, the team doesn't need a backup point guard or power forward for average games. But in the event of an injury, even just a two-month injury, Atlanta needs an innings-eater who can keep the Hawks relatively stable in the absence of Young or Johnson.
The free agent market is full of players willing to sign for the minimum with a wealth of NBA experience: De'Anthony Melton, Cam Payne, Cory Joseph, Delon Wright, and Russell Westbrook. As things stand today, none of these players deserve a real rotation spot.
But what if Young falls to a two-month injury? The team has absolutely nobody who can fill his role as an offensive initiator. Unless someone breaks out as the new offensive initiator, the team will nosedive in the standings. A poor stretch where the team falls from the top 3 in the east to the Play-In range could be enough to ruin Atlanta's season.
Likewise, Jalen Johnson has no depth behind him. What makes matters worse at the power forward position is that Johnson has a proven injury record. Many (myself included) believe his injuries have been unlucky rather than a sign of poor health.
But what if Johnson does get hurt? Onyeka Okongwu or Zaccharie Risacher could step into the starting role, but this leaves the Hawks weak in other areas. Plus, neither of these players claim to be a four. The Hawks won't want to rely on this duo at power forward with so much riding on this season.
Of course, you hope the season will pass with no serious injuries, but that is not the world we live in. If the Hawks do not prepare a contingency plan, they may find themselves in a heartbreaking situation similar to what the Rockets are currently facing.