The Atlanta Hawks have their roster loaded so far this offseason, and it could grow even more by the time training camp gets here. Unfortunately, one of their players recently went down with an injury, as Mouhamed Gueye sustained a fractured left foot at the beginning of July. Gueye underwent surgery to repair the fracture and will be re-evaluated in three to four months.
Gueye has been a key piece for the Hawks, coming off the bench for the past few seasons. He's one of their better defenders at the forward position, and can also switch to defend multiple positions if needed. On offense, he's usually there for a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer, but his energy on the floor is what makes him playable.
The Hawks had just picked up Gueye's $2.4 million team option for next season, and it felt like a no-brainer to do so with the contract value and how valuable he is to the team. Now, with his injury, there's a good chance that he could miss the beginning of the season.
Though that's not the best news for Gueye, the Hawks are in a position where they could survive without him for the time being, and it's because of the depth at the forward position.
The Hawks will be fine without Mouhamed Gueye
The Hawks already had depth at the power forward position, but they added even more during the offseason. That started with Zuby Ejiofor, who is already showing in the Summer League why he should be getting minutes when the season starts. Ejiofor has shown on both offense and defense that he can be relentless, and it's reminiscent of what Gueye does for the Hawks.
Asa Newell is also expected to see a lot of minutes in his second season, and the hope is that he continues to improve so he can be a mainstay in the Hawks' rotation. He showed in his rookie season that he can put together some things on offense, and he's already said he's looking to improve on defense so he can guard the four and the five.
Of course, you can't forget about Jalen Johnson, who is the starter at the power forward position. Johnson had an All-Star season last year, and the main goal for him is to continue to get better. With Johnson, Newell, and Ejiofor all capable of taking minutes at the forward position, Gueye has the luxury of not needing to rush back for a roster that can lean on its depth.
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