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DeAndre’ Bembry performed well down the stretch of the season for the Atlanta Hawks and, after a campaign that featured only 26 games as a result of injury, that encouraging performance looked to send the second-year wing into the offseason on a high note. However, the optimism has quickly vanished, as the Hawks announced Thursday that Bembry will be sidelined for four to six weeks as a result of a fractured right wrist.
Bembry missed the a large portion of the 2017-2018 season with the same injury, suffered in the season opener against the Mavericks. His new injury was diagnosed after an MRI on Wednesday and Michael Cunningham of the AJC reports that the injury actually occurred during the team’s win in Boston on Sunday.
Update: Source says injury happened Sun at BOS. From replay, appears Bembry jammed wrist against Jaylen Brown's body in 3Q as they chased loose ball. Bembry stayed in game and played in Tues. finale. https://t.co/74FRAnq8op
— Michael Cunningham (@MCunninghamAJC) April 12, 2018
While the timing isn’t horrific given that no organized basketball activity will be taking place in April and May, it is discouraging to see yet another injury for the 23-year-old at this juncture. Bembry missed time in September with a strained right tricep and, during the season, was sidelined with an adductor strain and an abdominal strain.
At this point, durability concerns seem legitimate with regard to Bembry and, though he’ll be healthy in time for Summer League and training camp, the questions will persist until he can string together an extended period of both health and on-court effectiveness.