Two Hawks Players Ruled Out of Abu Dhabi Trip

Jalen Johnson and Trent Forrest have been ruled out of the Atlanta Hawks' first two preseason games in Abu Dhabi.

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Currently, the Atlanta Hawks are wrapping up their third full day in Abu Dhabi. The team embarked on the 15-hour flight to the United Arab Emirates on Friday, a full six days ahead of their first or two regular season games against the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Unfortunately, two of their players were unable to make the trip. Last week, we reported that Jalen Johnson and Trent Forrest were held back due to illness. There was initially some hope they could rejoin the team later, but that will not be the case.

Johnson and Forrest have officially been ruled out of making the trip due to Non-Covid illness. Not only will the two players miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but they also miss two preseason games against the Bucks on October 6 and October 8.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Missing two preseason games is no small loss for Johnson and Forrest. Johnson played historically-low minutes during his rookie season but is expected to be the team's backup power forward this season. 

Forrest is on a two-way contract and could use every opportunity to elevate his spot in the Hawks organization. The 24-year-old player for the Utah Jazz last season and is a competent backup point guard in the league.

The silver lining is that there are two more preseason games that Johnson and Forrest can play in after the team returns to the United States. The Hawks play the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 12 and the New Orleans Pelicans on October 14. Stick with AllHawks.com as we keep you updated on your Atlanta Hawks.

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