Injury news roundup: Nikola Djurisic to be re-evaluated in November

A surgery will keep the guard/wing out for a while.

This summer was fairly brutal on the injury front for the Hawks.

Both second-year guard Kobe Bufkin and second-year wing Seth Lundy were ruled out of the entirety of summer league action before it even began due to physical ailments. These events the Hawks had detailed previously, but I’ll recap them a bit later.

But first, a more somber note for the as of yet unsigned Serbian draft pick. On Monday, the Atlanta Hawks gave an update on 2024 second-round pick Nikola Djurisic. He suffered a foot injury in the second game of summer league against the San Antonio Spurs. His resulting surgery and outlook is detailed below:

Atlanta Hawks second round draft acquisition Nikola Đurišić, who sustained a left foot fracture during a summer league game on July 14, underwent surgery on Monday to repair his left fifth metatarsal bone. The surgery was performed by Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, N.C. An update on his status will be provided in November.

Given that the NBA season will start in mid-October, that logically follows that Djurisic will miss training camp, preseason, and the beginning of the regular season.

With him unsigned as of today, this development may complicate contract negotiations with the rookie player. He’s eligible to sign either a standard contract, the last of three available two-way contracts, or it’s possible Djurisic ultimately stays overseas to rehab and prep for an arrival with the Hawks down the line.

Next up, in a practice leading up to the 2024 Las Vegas Summer League, Kobe Bufkin had to withdraw from the proceedings due to shoulder discomfort. On July 11, the Hawks released the following statement about his status:

Guard Kobe Bufkin injured his right shoulder during Tuesday evening’s summer league practice. An MRI taken at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex revealed findings consistent with a right shoulder subluxation. He will not play in the Las Vegas Summer League and is expected to make a full recovery ahead of training camp.

Similarly, back in May the Hawks updated us on the status of Seth Lundy. He as well should return for the start of training camp assuming no setbacks.

Guard/Forward Seth Lundy underwent left ankle surgery on May 1 to remove a medial ankle bone spur. The surgery was performed by Dr. Richard Ferkel at the Southern California Orthopedic Institute. Lundy will miss the NBA2K Summer League and is expected to make a full recovery prior to the 2024-25 season.

But after the summer league campaign kicked off, Hawks began dropping like flies en route to an 0-5 finish in Las Vegas. First overall pick Zaccharie Risacher was held out of the final three games with what was described as a right quadriceps contusion. Second-year forward Mouhamed Gueye also missed the final two games with a left hip contusion.

As the Hawks didn’t release an official update on either player, it’s presumed these measures were precautionary and they will both have no designation in the ramp up to the 2024-25 NBA season.

So, if you’ve been keeping track, the Hawks will miss Djurisic in training camp but project to welcome the return of Seth Lundy and Kobe Bufkin, with Mouhamed Gueye and Zaccharie Risacher joining in the proceedings after missing the end of summer league. Here’s to a much healthier 2024-25 season.