DE'ANDRE HUNTER NEWS

Starting in preseason opener Hunter is in the starting lineup for Tuesday's preseason game versus the Pacers, Brad Rowland of the Locked On Podcast Network reports.

Impact Hunter started in 37 of his 57 regular-season appearances for Atlanta last season. While Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, is expected to be the team's starting small forward once the regular season rolls around, Hunter will get the first starting nod to begin the preseason.

OCTOBER 8 • ROTOWIRE

Unable to find shot Hunter posted eight points (3-16 FG, 0-7 3Pt, 2-3 FT), four assists and two rebounds over 42 minutes during Wednesday's 131-116 Play-In Game loss to the Bulls.

Impact Despite struggling with his shot in April, when Hunter averaged 37.0 percent from the field and an abysmal 24.1 percent from deep, this season was fairly successful for the 26-year-old. Hunter was a consistent part of Atlanta's rotation, starting in 38 of his 57 games and averaging 15.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting a career-high 38.5 percent from deep.

APRIL 18 • ROTOWIRE

Not on injury report Hunter (rest) isn't on the injury report for Friday's game against Minnesota, Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Impact Hunter sat out Wednesday's game against the Hornets due to rest purposes, but he'll be back on the court following a one-game absence. Over five appearances this month, he's averaged 17.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 36.2 minutes per game.

APRIL 11 • ROTOWIRE

Won't play Wednesday Hunter (rest) is out for Wednesday's game versus the Hornets, Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Impact Hunter has been downgraded from questionable to out on the second night of Atlanta's back-to-back Thursday for rest purposes. The 25-year-old forward should be able to return for Friday's matchup with Minnesota.

APRIL 10 • ROTOWIRE

Questionable for Wednesday's game Hunter is questionable for Wednesday's game against Charlotte due to rest purposes, Kevin Chouinard of the Hawks' official site reports.

Impact Hunter played 47 minutes during Atlanta's double-overtime loss to the Heat on Tuesday, and it's unclear whether he'll be available for the second half of the back-to-back set. If he's sidelined, Garrison Mathews, Wesley Matthews (hamstring) and Bogdan Bogdanovic are candidates to see increased run.

APRIL 10 • ROTOWIRE

Scores 23 points in loss Tuesday Hunter racked up 23 points (10-23 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 11 rebounds, three assists, one block and two steals in 47 minutes during Tuesday's 117-111 double-overtime loss to the Heat...

Impact Even though Hunter needed 23 shots to score 23 points in this double-overtime loss, he still posted a strong stat line while also grabbing double-digit boards for the third time in the campaign. Hunter has started in each of Atlanta's last 11 games and has been excellent over that span, averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 0.6 steals per contest.

APRIL 10 • ROTOWIRE

Hits for 26 in Wednesday's win Hunter chipped in 26 points (11-16 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 1-3 FT), seven rebounds and four assists over 35 minutes during Wednesday's 121-113 victory over the Pistons.

Impact Making his eighth straight start, Hunter produced his best scoring effort during that stretch, and his best since dropping 27 points in the Jazz on March 15. The fifth-year forward has averaged 17.3 points, 5.6 boards, 2.6 threes and 2.3 assists during his stint in the starting five, and the fact that he held onto his spot even with Jalen Johnson back in his usual role bodes well for Hunter's fantasy value over the final couple weeks.

APRIL 4 • ROTOWIRE

Posts 13 points in loss Hunter produced 13 points (5-13 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 1-1 FT), two rebounds, one assist and one steal over 35 minutes during Saturday's 122-113 loss to the Bucks.

Impact Saddiq Bey's (knee) season-ending injury has thrust Hunter into an expanded role, and despite a lukewarm total agains the Bucks, he's responded well to the increased usage. Hunter is averaging averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists after six consecutive starts.

MARCH 31 • ROTOWIRE

Solid output in starting role Hunter finished Thursday's 123-122 overtime victory over Boston with 21 points (8-16 FG, 5-9 3Pt, 0-3 FT), 13 rebounds and one assist across 40 minutes.

Impact Hunter has been starting in recent days and delivered another strong showing, as he's taking advantage of the fact that Jalen Johnson (ankle) and Saddiq Bey (knee) are out, with the latter not returning until next season. Hunter has reached the 20-point mark in three of his last five starts while also doing it in five of his previous eight appearances overall.

MARCH 29 • ROTOWIRE

Hosts shot-making clinic Hunter provided 24 points (8-14 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 4-4 FT), seven rebounds and three assists across 34 minutes during Monday's 120-118 win over the Celtics.

Impact Hunter's scoring repertoire Monday featured on-the-move jumpers and sharp sniping from deep -- including a game-sealing three to put Atlanta up four with nine seconds remaining. Hunter's midrange shot-making isn't inherently conducive to efficient basketball, but he is succeeding at a high level in March, averaging 16.8 points on 45.0/38.2/80.0 percent shooting.

MARCH 26 • ROTOWIRE

Delivers 22 points Thursday Hunter totaled 22 points (5-13 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 9-10 FT), four rebounds, one assist and two steals over 34 minutes during Thursday's 128-115 loss to Phoenix.

Impact Getting the start with Jalen Johnson (ankle) unavailable, Hunter reached 20 points for the third time in the last four games, bouncing back from a shaky eight-point effort against the Lakers on Monday. That game was the only one since the All-Star break in which the fifth-year forward failed to score in double digits, and in those 14 contests he's averaging 17.0 points, 3.1 boards, 2.1 threes, 1.4 assists and 0.8 steals in 28.6 minutes a contest.

MARCH 22 • ROTOWIRE

Starting against Suns Hunter will start Thursday's game against the Suns, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.

Impact Jalen Johnson is expected to miss at least a week of action with a right ankle sprain, so Hunter could be looking at a sizable increase in minutes and usage in the short term. Hunter has fared well in March, averaging 16.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 2.3 three-pointers.

MARCH 22 • ROTOWIRE

Impactful from bench with 20 points Hunter ended with 20 points (8-13 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds, two assists and one block over 24 minutes during Sunday's 110-93 victory over the Clippers.

Impact Hunter inflicted significant damage in only 24 minutes of play, ending the evening as Atlanta's second-best scoring option. The former first-round pick has filled a variety of roles over his five seasons with the Hawks, but he is currently enjoying his best scoring season as a pro despite battling a number of injuries. The Virginia product is averaging 15.6 points over 43 games.

MARCH 18 • ROTOWIRE

Drops 27 against Jazz Hunter finished with 27 points (10-17 FG, 5-7 3Pt, 2-2 FT), two rebounds, one assist and one steal in 32 minutes off the bench during Friday's 124-122 loss to Utah.

Impact The five made three-pointers tied his season high as Hunter topped 20 points for only the second time in the last eight games. He hasn't had many ceiling performances lately, but the fifth-year forward has been a consistent contributor from the second unit, scoring in double digits in 16 straight games while averaging 17.5 points, 3.4 boards, 2.4 threes, and 1.3 assists while shooting 50.3 percent from the floor and 45.8 percent from beyond the arc.

MARCH 16 • ROTOWIRE

Struggles with shot Wednesday Hunter accumulated 11 points (4-12 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound, one assist, one block and one steal over 33 minutes during Wednesday's 106-102 loss to Portland.

Impact Hunter struggled badly from the field and needed 12 shots to score 11 points. Hunter seems set to end the season as a bench option, and even though he's expected to deliver decent scoring figures going forward based on his usage rate with the second unit, it's worth noting the inconsistency of his bench role limits his fantasy upside.

MARCH 14 • ROTOWIRE

Puts up 17 points off bench Hunter logged 17 points (6-12 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 3-4 FT), three rebounds, two assists and one steal in 26 minutes during Wednesday's 112-101 win over the Cavaliers.

Impact Hunter might have lost his starting role to Saddiq Bey, but he remains a reliable fantasy asset in his new role with the second unit, where he's taken on a more significant role as a scoring weapon off the bench. The numbers back that up, as Hunter has now scored in double digits in his last 12 appearances. Over that span, he's averaging 18.2 points per game while shooting 53.8 percent from the field and an impressive 48.2 percent from three-point range.

MARCH 7 • ROTOWIRE

Good to go Wednesday Hunter (knee) is available for Wednesday's game against the Cavaliers.

Impact As expected, Hunter has been upgraded from probable to available. The fifth-year forward has averaged 19.1 points on 53/47/86 shooting splits over his last eight appearances.

MARCH 6 • ROTOWIRE

Probable for Wednesday Hunter is probable for Wednesday's game against the Cavaliers due to right knee injury management.

Impact Wednesday's game is the second leg of a back-to-back set, and Hunter played 25 minutes Tuesday night. Given the probable tag, the Hawks likely want to see how Hunter's knee responds in warmups before giving him the green light.

MARCH 6 • ROTOWIRE

Pops for 20 off bench Hunter ended Tuesday's 124-97 win over Utah with 20 points (6-10 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 7-9 FT), five rebounds and one block in 28 minutes off the bench.

Impact The Hawks need someone else to step up on offense with Trae Young (finger) out of action, and Hunter is responding. The fifth-year forward has scored at least 20 points in four of the last five games, averaging 20.8 points, 5.2 boards, 2.2 threes, 1.0 assists and 0.8 steals during that stretch while shooting 51.7 percent from the floor and 45.8 percent (11-for-24) from beyond the arc.

FEBRUARY 28 • ROTOWIRE

Keeps thriving in bench role Hunter provided 18 points (5-8 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 6-6 FT), seven rebounds, two assists and two steals in 28 minutes during Sunday's 109-92 win over the Magic.

Impact Hunter seems to have settled into a bench role, and the veteran forward is playing at a high level despite being a starter throughout most of his career before this season. Hunter, who lost his starting role after going down with a knee injury in late December, has now scored in double digits in each of his last seven games off the bench, averaging 18.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in that stretch.

FEBRUARY 26 • ROTOWIRE

Drops 22 off bench Friday Hunter produced 22 points (8-16 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 4-4 FT), five rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes off the bench during Friday's 123-121 loss to Toronto.

Impact The 26-year-old forward topped 20 points in his last two games before the All-Star break, and Hunter picked up right where he left off coming out of it. After missing over a month of action due to a knee issue, he appears to be 100 percent again, although the Hawks are still managing his workload. Over his last six contests, Hunter is averaging 19.0 points, 4.0 boards, 2.5 threes and 1.5 assists over 24.5 minutes a game while shooting 52.2 percent from the floor and 48.4 percent (15-for-31) from beyond the arc.

FEBRUARY 24 • ROTOWIRE

Impressive off bench Wednesday Hunter logged 21 points (6-12 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 7-7 FT), three rebounds, one assist and one steal across 28 minutes during Wednesday's 122-99 loss to the Hornets.

Impact Hunter seems to have lost his starting role, as Saddiq Bey and Jalen Johnson have been playing as starting forwards, but he's been making a strong case for a bigger role with his recent performances. Despite coming off the bench in each of his appearances since returning to the hardwood on Jan. 30, Hunter is averaging 18.4 points per game over his last five outings while racking up the 20-point mark three times in that span.

FEBRUARY 15 • ROTOWIRE

Returns to booming Hunter recorded 23 points (6-14 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 7-7 FT), six rebounds, two blocks and one steal over 28 minutes during Monday's 136-126 loss to Chicago.

Impact Hunter limped to 2-for-7 shooting from inside the arc Monday, but he nonetheless finished with a productive scoring performance. Hunter is earning a shooting foul on 12.8 percent of his shots this season, which marks a career high for the 26-year-old.

FEBRUARY 13 • ROTOWIRE

Off injury report Hunter is off the injury report ahead of Monday's game against the Bulls.

Impact Hunter missed Saturday's game due to a right knee issue, but he will return to the lineup after missing just one game. Hunter has averaged 13.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 20.5 minutes per game over his last four appearances.

FEBRUARY 12 • ROTOWIRE

Downgraded to out Hunter (knee) won't play in Saturday's game versus the Rockets, Brad Rowland of the Locked On Podcast Network reports.

Impact Hunter has been downgraded from questionable to out on the second leg of Atlanta's back-to-back Saturday due to right knee injury management. Saddiq Bey, Garrison Mathews, Jalen Johnson and AJ Griffin are candidates to receive increased minutes in his absence. Hunter should be available for Monday's matchup with Chicago.

FEBRUARY 10 • ROTOWIRE