As reported by AJC’s Sarah Spencer, De’Andre Hunter received an MRI on his right wrist, which revealed a tendon injury. It will require surgery, and he is expected to return in approximately eight weeks, per the Hawks.
This timetable sets up Hunter to play again at the earliest in early January 2022. Hunter was having a productive season in the 11 games he played. He averaged 10.8 points per game on 45% shooting from the field, playing 27.8 minutes per game.
This is a huge blow to the Hawks’ core, as they lose their starting small forward. The Hawks are loaded with young backups, but this loss will make it difficult for the Hawks to keep winning. Hunter is a huge part of their team and his lack of presence will be noted.
You can expect to see players like Cam Reddish and Delon Wright get more minutes over the next two months over Hunter’s absence. Sharife Cooper and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot may also get rotational minutes over this stretch. It seems as though it will be Kevin Huerter who will step into the starting role in place of Hunter.