The Atlanta Hawks entered Saturday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans hoping to avoid the significant injuries already disrupting teams across the NBA. They finished it facing uncertainty surrounding two important contributors.
Jalen Johnson exited with a left ankle injury, while Jock Landale left with a left hip injury. Neither returned to the game, leaving Atlanta awaiting more clarity on both players.
Their departures brought an uncomfortable league-wide storyline directly into focus for the
Hawks. Anthony Edwards, Kawhi Leonard, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant are among the notable players sidelined early this season. Before teams have reached even 10 games, availability has already become a major concern.
Now Atlanta has its own injuries to monitor. Neither player’s absence from the remainder of Saturday’s game establishes how much additional time, if any, he will miss. Still, seeing Johnson and Landale leave the same game creates understandable concern for a team trying to find its footing.
The Hawks know how quickly an injury can change their outlook. During the 2024–25 season, Johnson suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder that required season-ending surgery. That setback interrupted his development and forced Atlanta to adjust without one of its most important players.
Saturday’s ankle injury should not be equated with that previous diagnosis. However, the memory reinforces why Johnson’s availability carries so much weight. His scoring, rebounding and playmaking influence nearly every part of Atlanta’s offense, making his presence difficult to replace through a simple lineup change.
Landale’s situation also matters. He provides an experienced option behind Onyeka Okongwu, giving Quin Snyder another interior presence and a different offensive look. Any absence would test a frontcourt already operating without Henri Veesaar and Mouhamed Gueye.
Atlanta added depth this offseason, but losing multiple contributors at the same position would stretch those resources. Depending on the updates, other frontcourt players could be asked to take on greater responsibilities sooner than anticipated.
That uncertainty arrives during a season in which the Hawks hope to build on last year and respond to their disappointing playoff exit against the Knicks. Developing chemistry and establishing consistent rotations become harder when injuries force changes before those combinations have settled.
Injuries are an unavoidable part of basketball, and no amount of roster planning can eliminate them. Depth can help a team navigate absences, but keeping its core available remains essential to understanding what the group can accomplish.
For now, the Hawks’ immediate concern is learning more about Johnson and Landale. What began as a hope that Atlanta could avoid the NBA’s growing injury wave has become a much more immediate question about the health of its own roster.
