The Atlanta Hawks are the next NBA team to experience an unfortunate hit to their center depth before training camp arrives. With the preseason around the corner, the Hawks learned that their rookie center Henri Veesaar is going to be delayed a year. He suffered a torn ACL and will undergo season-ending surgery, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Last week, the Philadelphia 76ers found themselves in a similar position, although not nearly as severe. Before making it to training camp, the Sixers announced that the veteran center Adem Bona will begin the official start of offseason activities sidelined with a setback. He will be re-evaluated at the start of camp, with an insider predicting roughly two weeks of absence before he gets back in action.
The Sixers have center depth issues
They knew that already, and now it's time to welcome the Hawks to the club. In multiple ways, the Hawks' recent setback could end up complicating things for the Sixers.
While the Sixers are going to give Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti time to prove that they should be the primary backup to Joel Embiid, you can bet the 76ers are going to be working on a list of possible trade targets for later on down the line. Exploring the idea of revisiting those Jock Landale rumors might not have been out of the question, but with this injury placing a hit on Atlanta's depth at the five, the Hawks aren't going to be as willing to move on.
Landale would be an expensive target for the Sixers, as he's making $14.1 million for his age-31 season, just $2 million less than the 26-year-old Onyeka Okongwu. Had Veesaar come in and impressed early on, maybe there would have been a world where the Hawks would be open to moving Landale. The injury takes that possibility away.
The Hawks could be another team making the center market more crowded when the trade gates start to really open up in December. Similar to the Phoenix Suns, who recently suffered an injury at the position, the Hawks are going to be a team that will offer additional competition to the Sixers if Mike Gansey and the front office do put together a hunt for another big man to acquire.
The Sixers have time to figure it out. The fact that Bona and Hukporti aren't total unknowns is a plus, but they have to show a real jump in progression and consistency to make the 76ers feel comfortable. Otherwise, Philly's front office could be in the hunt for some help.
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