Joe Johnson out 4-6 weeks: Pick up Maurice Evans in Deeper Fantasy Leagues

Hawks All-Star Joe Johnson underwent successful elbow surgery on Thursday and is expected to miss up to six weeks.  On December 1st, the Atlanta Hawks stated that Johnson would need surgery to remove a “loose body” in the elbow.  Johnson admitted that the elbow had been causing discomfort throughout the season.  This could be the reason for the decrease in his production this year.

Someone on the Hawks has to step up until their go-to-guy returns in mid-January.  Sixth-man Jamal Crawford is already playing 30 minutes per game, so it is unlikely his court time will increase drastically.  He also has a shoot-first mentality that could ruin the established chemistry of the starting lineup.  So expect Crawford to continue coming off the bench.

Rookie Jordan Crawford and second-year point guard Jeff Teague could see some more minutes, but not enough to become fantasy-relevant at this point.

Maurice Evans started the first game without Johnson, but finished with only nine points, two assists and one three-pointer.  Expect a better game on Friday against the struggling 76ers as he is matched up against Evan Turner.

Maurice Evans started five games last year for the Hawks, averaging 15.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.4 three-pointers per game, while shooting 55 percent.  He will be the biggest beneficiary from Johnson’s absence and is a pickup for deeper league owners, especially if they need help in threes.

Written by Win My Fantasy League Senior Writer Justin Hasan (J-Has)

Comment below or e-mail him at JHas@WinMyFantasyLeague.com