HereThe injuries issues that helped sink the Atlanta Hawks’ 60-win season in the Eastern Conference finals won’t necessarily be the talk of training camp in Atlanta.
The three players with the biggest question marks heading into this season — All-Star Kyle Korver, Thabo Sefolosha and Shelvin Mack — have all been cleared for basketball activities, according to a report from Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Of course, there are “differing degrees,” those are Hawks’ coach Mike Budenholzer‘s words, for each player since each one had their own specific injuries. More from the AJC:
“I would say, to differing degrees, they are doing basketball activities now,” Budenholzer said Monday. “Whether it’s some 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 between now and camp there is the potential for some 5-on-5 in a limited kind of way. But shooting, working out and doing those types of things, they are making good progress.”
Sefolosha had the most serious injury as he suffered a broken right fibula and ligament damage in April in an incident with police outside a New York nightclub. He has surgery and missed the rest of the regular season and playoffs. A trial in the case is scheduled to begin during training camp on Oct. 5.
Korver had right ankle surgery after being injured during the Eastern Conference finals. He subsequently had surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow.
Mack had surgery on his right shoulder after being injured in the final game of the conference finals. He suffered a separation and some ligament damage.
Budenholzer made it clear that there will be no rushing any of the healing Hawks in training camp or the preseason, which kicks off next week.
The Hawks finished last season with the best record in the Eastern Conference and owned home court advantage throughout their run to the Eastern Conference finals, where a group decimated by injuries fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
They're baaaaack.