Before the All-Star Break, Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu sustained a significant injury to his left big toe during a game against the Chicago Bulls, which led to his absence in the subsequent game against the Charlotte Hornets. The Hawks provided an update on his condition after the initial injury, stating that following an X-ray at State Farm Arena and an MRI at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex, Okongwu was diagnosed with a left big toe sprain. Consequently, he was ruled out for the upcoming game against Charlotte and was scheduled for re-evaluation in seven- to 10 days. During a practice session, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder indicated that Okongwu would be sidelined for an indefinite period, stating, “I don’t want to speak out of turn as far as a timeline goes, but he’s not going to be available for the foreseeable future.”
This development is significant for the Hawks, as Okongwu has been performing admirably since assuming the role of starting center in Clint Capela’s absence due to injury. There was speculation that Okongwu could continue as the starting center for the remainder of the season before this recent update. In the game against Charlotte, the Hawks started Bruno Fernando in place of Okongwu and Capela, who were both unavailable. It remains uncertain whether Fernando will start in the next game, with Capela potentially coming off the bench. The Hawks have faced challenges maintaining a healthy roster throughout the season. The absence of their top eight players, including Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Saddiq Bey, Jalen Johnson, Okongwu, Capela, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and De’Andre Hunter, for a significant number of games has impacted the team’s performance this season.
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