Hawks have excluded Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu from the roster

Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu will be absent for the Eastern Conference play-in tournament for the Hawks due to injuries.

On Thursday, the Hawks revealed that Johnson, a key contributor to the team with averages of 16.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, will be sidelined for a minimum of three weeks due to a sprained right ankle sustained in Tuesday night's game against the Miami Heat.

Okongwu, who typically contributes 10.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, will be out for at least four weeks following a nonsurgical procedure on Tuesday to address inflammation in his left big toe.

These updates on injuries coincide with All-Star point guard Trae Young's return on Wednesday night, where he posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 assists despite the Hawks' 115-114 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. Young had been absent for 23 games due to a torn ligament in his left pinkie.


In addition to Johnson and Okongwu, guard Dejounte Murray (right quad contusion) and forward De'Andre Hunter (rest) were also sidelined for the game against Charlotte.

Currently, the Hawks occupy the No. 10 position in the Eastern Conference standings, securing the final spot in the play-in tournament. They are set to face the Chicago Bulls in this crucial postseason battle.

Source ESPN: Ahead of play-in, Hawks rule out Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu