John Jenkins is seriously considering and most likely will undergo back surgery, according to a person familiar with the situation. Details of the procedure are not complete.
The second-year guard has appeared in only 13 games this season. Jenkins has missed the past 15 games since Dec. 26, when he had nerve pain in his left leg associated with a back injury. He has been plagued by the back problem since the summer.
Following an MRI exam in December, which was negative, the Hawks and Jenkins chose a course of action of rest and physical therapy. Jenkins has not progressed, has been unable to practice with the team and his status is “out indefinitely.”
Jenkins was unavailable for comment as he did not travel with the team for Saturday’s game against the Bucks.
Jenkins expressed frustration with the injury when the pain became an issue in December. He said at the time that surgery was an option, one of several under consideration by him, his agent and Hawks management.
“I’m weighing my options on what I need to do to eliminate this thing forever,” Jenkins said in December. “It’s been too long. It’s been preventing me from playing the way I need to be playing. I’m trying to play on it, play through it. It’s time to just get it out of the way forever.”
Mack starts for Teague: Shelvin Mack started at point guard in place of the injured Jeff Teague on Saturday night. Teague did not travel with the team to Milwaukee after suffering a left ankle sprain in the second quarter of Friday's loss to the Spurs. According to the team, X-rays on Teague's ankle were negative, but no timetable was given for his return. The Hawks play at the Thunder on Monday.
DeMarre Carroll returned to the lineup against the Bucks. He missed the game against the Spurs with a mild left hamstring strain. He had indicated that he would rest the injury for two games. However, without mounting injuries he returned a game early.
Cunningham re-called: The Hawks, dealing with the injuries, recalled Jared Cunningham from the NBA Development League. The guard started the season with the Hawks, but has had three stints with the Hawks' affiliate, the Bakersfield (Calif.) Jam.
In 17 games (14 starts) with the Jam, Cunningham averaged 15.2 points, 4.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds in 29.8 minutes. He has appeared in three games in his stints with the Hawks.
Familiar faces: Larry Drew, who spent nine seasons as a coach with the Hawks, was on the opposite sideline Saturday in his new job as head coach of the Bucks. Drew spent the past three seasons as head coach of the Bucks before his contract was not renewed and the team hired Mike Budenholzer.
Drew had nothing but good things to say about his time with the Hawks.
“It was great,” Drew said before the game. “I felt that the nine years I was there was a tremendous experience. I had the chance to meet some wonderful people, and the city was unbelievable. As I look back on my playing and coaching days, certainly when you spend nine years somewhere, that is a long time. There was a lot that happened in those nine years, but I’m just very grateful and thankful for the experience and the wonderful people there.”
Former Hawks center Zaza Pachulia, a fan favorite, also is with the Bucks, but he is out with a fractured right foot.
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