The Hawks may not have point guard Trae Young available for Saturday’s matchup against the Grizzlies at State Farm Arena. The team listed Young as questionable with a right heel contusion on Friday evening’s injury report.
Young briefly left the Hawks’ game against the Spurs on Thursday after landing awkwardly while contesting a 3-point shot by Julian Champagnie in the fourth quarter. He immediately jumped around in front of the Hawks bench before running gingerly to play the offensive possession. The Hawks had turned over the ball, and Young never made it to the other side.
The Hawks called timeout after Spurs center Victor Wembanyama made a midrange jumper, and Young went to the locker room during the timeout.
The pain came after Young already had landed on the foot of Spurs rookie Stephon Castle on his own 3-point try. That shot went down as Young fell out of bounds and immediately grabbed his right ankle. He got up though and completed the four-point play.
Saturday’s game would be only the third that Young has missed this season, despite playing through Achilles tendinitis in the same leg.
The Hawks already have recalled guard Keaton Wallace, who’s on a two-way contract, from the College Park Skyhawks, the team’s G League affiliate, in the event that Young cannot play.
The team already is thin at point guard. Earlier this week, the Hawks ruled out guard Kobe Bufkin for the remainder of the season after announcing that he would undergo surgery Jan. 7 to address a right shoulder injury.
Should Young miss Saturday’s game, the Hawks likely would start fourth-year wing Vit Krejci, while Wallace comes off the bench.
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