Lou Williams’ first season with the Hawks ended after just 39 games.
Williams was lost with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, a diagnosis made following an MRI exam Saturday afternoon. The Hawks guard suffered the injury against the Nets Friday. The Hawks’ third leading scorer will require surgery to repair the damaged knee at a to-be-determined date.
Coach Larry Drew called the loss to Williams for the season “devastating.” He was to meet with this team prior to Saturday’s game against the Spurs to implore them to move forward – much as the organization did last season after the loss of Al Horford.
“You hate to see it happen,” Drew said. “You wish for a fast and speedy recovery but we have to conduct business as usual and we have to move on. We have to get somebody in that locker room that is going to have to step up. Any time one of your soldiers is down somebody else has to pick it up. I have confidence that that will happen.”
The Hawks signed Williams to a multi-year deal as a free agent this summer. He had appeared in all 39 games, mostly off the bench, this season and averaged 14.1 points, 3.6 assists and 2.1 rebounds. In his nine starts, Williams averaged 18.6 points, 5.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds.
“I just pray for him,” Jeff Teague said. “Hopefully it’s a speedy recovery. It is tough losing a guy like that coming off the bench and getting points in bunches. He’s just a good guy all around, a good player, a good friend, someone I enjoy playing with.”
Anthony Morrow said he has spoken to Williams and that he is “doing well considering the circumstances.”
Hawks general manager Danny Ferry said the team will stand by Williams as he recovers from the injury and expects him to return next season in full health. Ferry said the team has not yet decided on a course of action for a possible replacement.
“We’ll examine every and all options that can be considered and make decisions from there,” Ferry said.
The Hawks lost Williams with 7:12 remaining in the second quarter with an initial diagnosis of a right knee sprain pending further tests. Williams was driving to the basket and pulled up without contact as the knee buckled. He screamed out several times as he continued off the court without putting weight on his leg. After lying down in the entryway to the arena to be attended to by Hawks trainers, Williams was taken to the locker room in a wheelchair.
An X-ray taken in Brooklyn was negative. Williams still could not put any weight on his leg following the game. He was helped to the training room by teammate Mike Scott when the locker room opened to the media post game.
The MRI exam, done by Dr. Michael Bernot at Peachtree Orthopedics, showed the extent of the injury. While Williams is lost for the season, a more definitive timetable on his return will be released following surgery.
John Jenkins will be one of the players to help fill the void left by Williams. The rookie, known for his outside shooting ability, said he expected no trouble stepping in and running the Hawks’ up-tempo offense.
“That is something that I can definitely do,” Jenkins said. “I’ve done it almost my whole life, really. I didn’t do it as much at Vanderbilt because we had guys to do that. I played my role but I can definitely do that. I’m not as fast as Devin (Harris) and (Jeff) Teague but I know how to do that. I can make that adjustment. I’ll be fine with that.”
Williams, 26, jumped right to the NBA out of South Gwinnett High school. He was drafted and played his first seven seasons with the 76ers before returning home in July.
“You lose that, it’s kind of hard to replace,” DeShawn Stevenson said. “I don’t think you just go out and find someone who can give you 16 points off the bench any time. I think guys have to play within themselves. Things like this happen. It sucks but guys have to be ready to step up and try to fill his shoes.”
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