With no disrespect intended towards the Atlanta Hawks’ offseason additions, there can be little argument about which player will be the biggest addition from the squad that lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of last season’s playoffs. Al Horford may be about to enter his eighth year as a Hawk, but coming off his second serious injury in three years, his presence will likely feel like a new signing.
After the month of turmoil that the franchise and its fans have had to endure of late, there’s not a lot the Atlanta fans want to see more than Al Horford fit and healthy in a Hawks jersey again. With preseason rapidly approaching, that prospect must have been a cause for excitement for many fans, but unfortunately they may just have to wait a little bit longer.
Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported on Thursday that Horford wasn’t going to be fully cleared for full contact practice in time for the start of training camp. That was no speculation either, as the words came direct from the mouth of Mike Budenholzer, Hawks head coach, and also currently acting president of basketball operations.
According to Budenholzer, “He is not at 100 percent right now but I think we anticipate by opening night and through training camp getting him to where he is totally cleared and ready to go.” Initially that might upset Hawks fans who are concerned about Horford suffering from any nagging effects or symptoms from the injury, but in the long run it could prove to be good news. Budenholzer continued:
"“We want to make sure we are taking care of him and we’ll probably err on the side of caution and being conservative in moving him through the month of October so he’s ready for the start of the season.”"
Although Hawks fans understandably want to see Horford back in uniform performing at his best as soon as possible, they should be relieved by the fact that Budenholzer has the best interests of the player, and indeed, the team, at heart. Horford is Atlanta’s most important player, and with the roster in its current construction, he’s the cornerstone for the foreseeable future.
With that in mind, the Hawks should take all the care in the world that they see fit. Torn pectoral muscles may be a freak occurrence, but Horford has now suffered the injury on both sides of his body within the space of three years. That doesn’t mean that the Hawks need to be extra careful with Horford due to a specific risk of reoccurrence, but either way it makes sense for the franchise to approach the situation with great caution.
The last time Al Horford returned from a torn pectoral injury, it was in the midst of controversial comments made by one of the team’s owners. Sound familiar?
Well, on that occasion it was Michael Gearon Jr in the news, the man who many believe to have been the driving force behind the political power struggle that led to the recent race scandal going public. During a tight playoff series with the Boston Celtics, Gearon was overheard referring to Kevin Garnett as “the dirtiest player in the league,” and that was all Garnett needed to push himself over the edge and help guide the Celtics to a 4-2 series win.
Although it may seem like a distant memory now though, amidst all the fuss about Garnett and Gearon, Al Horford was playing basketball again. Horford returned in Game 5 of that series and played his part in a one point Hawks win, but only four months after injury, it was too soon and he knew it.
With two seconds remaining in Game 6, Atlanta trailed by two and Al Horford stood on the free throw line. Knowing he needed to make both shots to extend the series, it got to Horforrd. Having missed the first attempt, the Celtics closed out the victory.
What relevance does a missed free throw from two years ago have now though, you might ask?
Well, to put it simply, there’s a lot more to an NBA player’s rehabilitation than building up strength in the injured area. With the intensity of the game when played at the highest level, players need to be at maximum strength across all departments of their games, both physically and mentally. On that occasion, Horford wasn’t quite there, and it cost Atlanta.
Although such a slip wouldn’t cost the Hawks half as much at the start of the season as it did at that stage back in 2012, it provides a logical explanation for why the team would want to approach his return with particular care. That missed free throw may have been a result of rustiness, or it could have been caused by Horford’s confidence being slightly less than what it would normally be.
If there is to be an increased risk of re-injury, it will happen as a result of a player lacking in conviction and confidence in their movements, particularly with big men in the NBA.
As a result, the Hawks will be reluctant to let Horford loose until he not only feels strong and clear of rustiness, but also when he’s back at full confidence.
Only then, can Horford be deemed back to himself again, and as a result, only then will the Hawks be the Hawks again.