Atlanta Hawks assign Mike Muscala to G League

The Atlanta Hawks announced today that they’ve assigned Mike Muscala to the team’s G League affiliate in Erie. Muscala has been recovering from a mysterious ankle injury since early November, but it seems he’s almost ready to return to action with the Hawks. The G League stint will be a short one, with Muscala playing with Erie once or twice until he proves that his ankle is fully rehabbed.

Muscala’s had a bit of a lost year so far in Atlanta after re-signing with the team in the summer. The big-man rotation, when fully healthy, leaves Muscala without a clear role: he’s better as a center but Dewayne Dedmon and John Collins are clearly ahead of him in the depth chart at that spot. As a power forward, his defensive weaknesses are more pronounced and his ability as a shooter and passer aren’t as valuable. Compounded with this seven-week injury and the season certainly has not been what many envisioned for Muscala.

The Erie Bayhawks have home games on Thursday and Saturday, after which Muscala may rejoin the first team in Atlanta.