Hawks, Knicks hope to unveil new looks Sunday
The Atlanta Hawks will look like a different team when they return home Sunday to host the New York Knicks.
The Hawks added a trio of new faces at the trade deadline and is hopeful that newly acquired centers Clint Capela and Dewayne Dedmon will be available. Uncertain is the status of Skal Labissiere, who has been out with a knee injury since Dec. 28.
None of the players Atlanta acquired at the trade deadline played on Friday. The team was also without leading scorer Trae Young (ankle), DeAndre' Bembry (right hand neuritis), Cam Reddish (concussion) and Bruno Fernando (left calf strain).
Any help will be welcomed by the Hawks, who had only nine healthy players available in Friday's 112-107 loss at Boston.
"We've just got to play with effort, no matter if we're short-handed or not," Atlanta's Kevin Huerter said after Friday's game. "It's the kind of thing you've got to do to piece games together. Hopefully Sunday we can get more people on the court."
The Knicks have a different look, too. They traded leading scorer Marcus Morris to the Los Angeles Clippers at the trade deadline in exchange for swingman Maurice Harkless, a first-round pick and draft rights to Issuf Sanon, a 20-year-old point guard from Ukraine. Harkless could join the team in Atlanta.
New York has won four straight games, including a 95-92 win over Detroit on Saturday. Despite turmoil in the organization -- the team fired its president last week -- the Knicks are continuing to play hard.
"Everyone knows we have a job to do," New York rookie R.J. Barrett said. "We are still a team. We've still got to keep pushing. We've still got to play every night and do our jobs."
Atlanta turned over a large portion of its roster on the deadline.
Capela, along with injured veteran Nene (since waived), came from Houston as part of a complicated four-team deal. Atlanta wound up moving seldom-used guard Evan Turner and a 2020 first-round pick that had been obtained from Brooklyn. Capela averages 13.9 points and 13.8 rebounds, but has missed the last four games with a heel injury.
Dedmon, who played two seasons for the Hawks, came from Sacramento, along with two second-round draft picks in exchange for injured veteran Jabari Parker and center Alex Len. Labissiere, along with cash, came over from Portland in exchange for a 2024 conditional second-round pick.
"It's a good feeling, coming back to somewhere I'm familiar with the coaching staff," Dedmon told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I'm excited."
Young is expected to return after missing Friday's game. The point guard averages 29.3 points, 9.0 assists and 4.6 rebounds. Young has scored 30-plus points in three of the last four games. Forward John Collins had 30 points and 10 rebounds against the Celtics and has posted a double-double in six straight games.
With Morris out of the picture, the Knicks' top scorers are Julius Randle, who had 17 against the Pistons on Saturday, and Barrett, who scored 27 against the Hawks in the first meeting in New York.
This will be the second time Atlanta and New York have played. The Knicks won the first contest 143-120 on Dec. 17, with Atlanta's Young netting 42. Their final meeting will be March 11 in Atlanta.
--Field Level Media
