Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford out 3-4 months with injury
The Hawks say Al Horford will miss 3-4 months with a torn pectoral muscle suffered during last night’s 96-84 loss at Indiana.. Horford is to get a second opinion on whether to proceed with the surgery.
Under the most most optimistic time frame, Horford would return in mid-April. Atlanta’s final regular-season game is scheduled for April 26.
“It’s disappointing news,” Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. said. “Al is a big part of our success. Hopefully he will be back by the playoffs. The tough part is we have been playing hard and playing well. We will have to try to get through it. We’re a veteran team and we have to find a way.”
Gearon said he hadn’t yet spoken to GM Rick Sund and wasn’t sure what moves the Hawks might make in the wake of Horford’s injury. In addition to Hoford, Atlanta’s centers include Zaza Pachulia and Jason Collins.
Atlanta’s payroll currently is slightly above the luxury-tax threshold of $70 million. The roster players without salary guarantees include guards Jannero Pargo, Donald Sloan and Jerry Stackhouse and forward Ivan Johnson
Veteran free agent centers include Erick Dampier, Kyrylo Fesenko, Dan Gadzuric, Joel Przybilla, Earl Barron and D.J. Mbenga.
Zach Klein of Channel 2 Action News first reported that Horford had a serious injury. Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports reported Horford would miss 3-4 months with a pectoral injury.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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605 comments Add your comment
Slimjr
January 12th, 2012
3:56 pm
Atlanta= 1 Championship in 150 combined seasons…
The Fans should jump off these lousy organizations….
Najeh Davenpoop
January 12th, 2012
3:56 pm
“With ZaZa being the starter, don’t be surprised if his play improves. Or maybe that’s wishful thinking on my part.”
The only positive I can think of with Zaza being in the starting lineup is that he will be playing alongside Josh much more and his inability to play help defense won’t be as big of a detriment. We can only hope he gains confidence with the guaranteed minutes, hits mid range jumpers at a higher rate, and turns the ball over less.
K.W.
January 12th, 2012
3:57 pm
Freakin Roy Hibbert
Sautee
January 12th, 2012
3:57 pm
“Of course, the other option is to use this as an opportunity to obliterate the core once and for all, cut ties with Joe/Josh/Marvin, stockpile picks in the upcoming deep draft, and start over.”
I’ll have to say that part of me is tempted. The impatient part.
Mike
January 12th, 2012
3:57 pm
I think that the sports team in Atlanta is cursed or something like that. We cant get a break at all, ASG wont make any changes, no D12. Do the sport gods hate Atlanta so much?
But to be serious, losing Al is going to have us asking this question, without him, can we still complete and get deeper into the playoff, but right now, we wont have a answer for the bigs.
joe kill
January 12th, 2012
3:57 pm
do we have enough money to go out and get a big
Jim Mora Sr.
January 12th, 2012
3:57 pm
“Playoffs? Playoffs? Playoffs?” I just hope we can win another game.
Bruce Mac
January 12th, 2012
4:00 pm
So, now we can concentrate on Thrashers season? ATL = Losersville USA
bigman needed
January 12th, 2012
4:01 pm
MC:
marvin and zaza for okafor
it’s win win for both teams! Hornets need a swingman scorer, we need a center. Salaries match, years match. Both #2 overall picks! We need to make this trade!
Wabe
January 12th, 2012
4:01 pm
I’m with Najeh at this point. Just blow it up.
This was the ‘make or break’ year for this group. Now with Horford out, we don’t even really have much of a chance to see what they can do.
Just start over.
Rufus1
January 12th, 2012
4:03 pm
Wow…..
JSS
January 12th, 2012
4:03 pm
Finally they’ll be forced to consider making moves or be shown as frauds… Do something or watch your season go away…
Hennessy James
January 12th, 2012
4:03 pm
It really sucks that horford will be out … But Ivan Johnson & Donald Sloan need more minutes!!!!
Prison Mike
January 12th, 2012
4:03 pm
We need to move quick on Pryzbilla. He’s had 21 months of time to recover from two bad injuries to his knee and other teams are zeroing in on him.
But he’s one of these guys that likes to lollygag on who he wants to play for.
Slimjr
January 12th, 2012
4:04 pm
All NBA tried to out muscle a much larger man by throwing his shoulder into a 7′2″ mountain to create space and all he did was get his shot blocked and blow up his shoulder….
Its unfortunate the guy has limited offensive skills…
He could have pulled up on the 8 footer and banked it in over the out stretched arms of Roy Hibbert Just not part of his arsenal..
Get well soon Sir!
brigadierjerry
January 12th, 2012
4:06 pm
marvin and zaza for okafor,
Najeh I would do this deal you suggested. It would be a good stop gap move for the time being to be somewhat competitive.
Harry Hawk
January 12th, 2012
4:06 pm
Just start Ivan at C and let him break necks.
Hawks Fan
January 12th, 2012
4:06 pm
DAMN! This really sucks!
Sautee
January 12th, 2012
4:07 pm
Slim,
Horford had dunked on Hibbert many times in the past. Injuries happen.
tim
January 12th, 2012
4:07 pm
The Hawks better get on the horn to Jon Koncak……….ASAP
Just Joe
January 12th, 2012
4:08 pm
Hornets have Ariza & Aminu under contract for the next few years, but I guess its possible they would want Marvin’s 3 yr deal too.
tyger
January 12th, 2012
4:08 pm
It’s a bird, its a plane, its….
SHAQUILLE O’NEAL
Clear some bench room fellas…
There’s a bonafide superstar BIG coming…
Not a starter, but a 7′3, 400lb. HOF insurance policy…
Trojan
January 12th, 2012
4:08 pm
If we trade ZaZa for a center, we will not have a backup.
Can we trade a 2nd rounder for Sean Williams?
Say what ???
January 12th, 2012
4:09 pm
Lol @ Jon Koncak…but serioulsy, what is Tree Rollins up to ?
Astro Joe
January 12th, 2012
4:10 pm
This season is too atypical (66 games compacted into a handful of months) to make wholesale changes (IMO). I think there will be some other major injuries that will affect contenders, as wear and tear takes place. It would be hard to imagine that Sund could change the tires effectively while this car is moving, I’d rather wait until the car stops in June.
Vito
January 12th, 2012
4:10 pm
should have got garret siler when we had a chance ………….. we so cheap we may just play I, Johnson and leave roster as is we dont need more draft picks we just want siggn them anyway or dont let play oh yea or leave them across da water n think we forget about them
NCBravesFan
January 12th, 2012
4:11 pm
Is Tree Rollins available?
(Seriously though, this SUCKS!)
Najeh Davenpoop
January 12th, 2012
4:12 pm
“All NBA tried to out muscle a much larger man by throwing his shoulder into a 7′2″ mountain to create space and all he did was get his shot blocked and blow up his shoulder….
Its unfortunate the guy has limited offensive skills…”
Nah, Al was doing the right thing. He faced up, put the ball on the floor, and used his superior quickness to drive. Same play that got him a bucket a few possessions earlier. Hibbert just happened to recover in time and block it and it ended up with this freak injury.
Kaman’s contract is expiring, so Kirk + Zaza for him would not dent the Hawks’ long-term plans and still keep them competitive this year, although not nearly as competitive as they would have been with Al. The question is whether New Orleans would be willing to eat the $5.2 million Zaza is owed next year.
But this time, any short-term quick fix deal the Hawks make shouldn’t involve giving up their first rounder. If they can’t make a deal without giving that up, just keep the pick and use it on the best player available.
brigadierjerry
January 12th, 2012
4:13 pm
Wow Kwame Brown out for a few months as well
http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/218242/Kwame_Brown_Set_For_Surgery_Out_At_Least_Three_Months
Slimjr
January 12th, 2012
4:15 pm
Maybe Gearon should go ahead now and dismantle the Core?
Slimjr
January 12th, 2012
4:16 pm
Gearon thinks he gonna make the payoffs? he smiles
Big Crimson 75
January 12th, 2012
4:17 pm
This sucks
tyger
January 12th, 2012
4:17 pm
Disabled Player Exceptioh = 50% of Horfords salary ($12M) for one year, so up to $6M. Naturally, Hawks not paying luxury tax, but how valuable are players not logging minutes? There’s at least 3 every night.
JaeEvolution
January 12th, 2012
4:18 pm
“But this time, any short-term quick fix deal the Hawks make shouldn’t involve giving up their first rounder. If they can’t make a deal without giving that up, just keep the pick and use it on the best player available.”
Bottom line, underlined 3 times…
DePort
January 12th, 2012
4:18 pm
Its a short season… Lets lose every game and get a top ten pick in the draft next year … that would put us over the edge !
Just Joe
January 12th, 2012
4:19 pm
Najeh…Hawks can’t trade their 2012 first rounder. They traded last year’s.
JM
January 12th, 2012
4:20 pm
That’s the season folks. I don’t see Sund pulling of a trade for a servicable replacement. The bench will not get it done.
a
January 12th, 2012
4:21 pm
Yes, we sucks again. Lottery pick.
a
January 12th, 2012
4:21 pm
Yes, we suck again. Lottery pick.
J.J.M.
January 12th, 2012
4:24 pm
so horford got hurt by getting his shot blocked?
The Spook who sat by the door
January 12th, 2012
4:24 pm
If the Hawks can’t get a quality NBA center via trade to replace Horford, Rick Sund should at least consider Hasheem Thabeet or Hamed Haddadi. Maybe Sund could acquire one of those two bigs on the cheap. Of the two, I’d take my chances with Thabeet.
bigman needed
January 12th, 2012
4:25 pm
Davenpoop: why would the hornets make a henrich for kaman deal? Kaman is playing well and is on an expiring deal. Plenty of teams will be interested.
Okafor makes big money and has 3 years left. They could shed that salary and pick up Marvin’s scoring and potential at less salary.
Frank far east
January 12th, 2012
4:25 pm
Ugh. I say we flip Josh Smith for young pieces, bottom out, get a high pick this year. And rebuild.
Read this piece on Josh Smith trade scenarios the other day.
Couple of em make a lot of sense to me.
http://nyfwc.com/?p=3256
Spud Webb
January 12th, 2012
4:26 pm
I will miss Horford, but I think they are ok without him
Heisenberg
January 12th, 2012
4:27 pm
Sucks for Al. But maybe now Josh Smith can spend more time in the low post. Would that be too much to ask?
Najeh Davenpoop
January 12th, 2012
4:28 pm
“why would the hornets make a henrich for kaman deal? Kaman is playing well and is on an expiring deal. Plenty of teams will be interested.”
Kirk is also expiring. But you’re right, they will probably be willing to accept less in a deal for Okafor. From the Hawks’ point of view, though, a Kaman deal makes more sense.
Najeh Davenpoop
January 12th, 2012
4:29 pm
“Ugh. I say we flip Josh Smith for young pieces, bottom out, get a high pick this year. And rebuild.”
If they are going to rebuild, Josh can’t be the only one to go. Joe has to go too, even if they only get 50 cents on the dollar for him. Same with Marvin. Really, if rebuilding is the option, everyone but Teague should be put on the block for the best draft picks and rookie contract players they can get.
Wally W.
January 12th, 2012
4:30 pm
In watching the play real time it certainly appeared he was fouled with no call being made, which was typical of the calls(non-calls) made all night. Without Horford the Hawks are in big trouble. This man is a solid citizen and a wonderful team basketball player.
Ra'mon
January 12th, 2012
4:32 pm
Everyone, this may be a break for the Hawks (in a good way). If this forces the Hawks to move Kirk’s expiring contract paired with someone like Marvin or Zaza for Okafor, then this will be a great move. Horford will be back in time for the playoffs, and having a big rotation of Josh, Al, and Okafor is pretty serviceable, and better than any we’ve had in a good while. That would be three very good bigs, who all can rebound and play good defense to go with a good back court. If the Hawks (which I think they can), can hold onto a top 6 seed (which I think they can do easily), then they would still be a night mare for any team in the playoffs, because of their playoff experience.
Ra'mon
January 12th, 2012
4:33 pm
Frank, all of those trade scenarios would be terrible for the Hawks.