Hawks second-year wing De’Andre Hunter missed the first two games of the team’s round two series with the 76ers with right knee swelling. After an MRI, the initial review revealed a small tear of the lateral meniscus, according to a team press release. Hunter is scheduled to fly to Los Angeles for surgery on Tuesday. He will miss the remainder of the postseason.
This will be the second surgery on Hunter’s right knee this season, and marks the end of an injury-ravaged sophomore year in the NBA. Hunter had started the year playing the best basketball of his young career, but was injured just 19 games into the season. He finished the year having only played 23 games.
After a promising return during the Hawks’ first round series against the Knicks, Hunter was once again on the injury report due to knee swelling. The young forward averaged 10.8 points and 4.0 rebounds against the Knicks, shooting 40% from the floor and 37.5% from three.
This diagnosis puts to rest any hope of Hunter returning during the playoffs.
With fellow second-year wing Cam Reddish still recovering from an injured Achilles, the Hawks will have to rely on more minutes from veteran wings Danilo Gallinari, Solomon Hill and Tony Snell.
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