Hawks C Okongwu (knee) out at least 4 games

Atlanta Hawks backup center Onyeka Okongwu will be out at least four games due to left knee inflammation, the team announced Wednesday.

Okongwu will be re-evaluated in approximately one week.

The Hawks also said that guard Kobe Bufkin will undergo season-ending surgery to address "instability" in his right shoulder. The procedure is scheduled for Jan. 7.

Okongwu has averaged a career-best 11.3 points and 6.6 rebounds while coming off the bench behind starter Clint Capela this season.

A five-year veteran, Okongwu was the No. 6 overall pick for the Hawks in the 2020 draft.

Bufkin, 21, partially dislocated his right shoulder for the second time in October. He had missed summer league due to a similar injury.

His first professional season after a promising Michigan career was also interrupted by injuries including a thumb fracture and a big toe sprain that kept him out of all but 17 games.

Bufkin, 20, was the 15th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft. He averaged 5.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 10 games (zero starts) this season.

Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.