The Atlanta Hawks suffered a potentially devastating blow on Saturday night when Bogdan Bogdanovic went down with a nasty looking knee injury. There’s been no definitive diagnosis, but Bogdanovic was almost immediately ruled out for the remainder of the game. 

In the middle of the second quarter, Bogdanovic was making his way up the floor and tried to avoid LaMelo Ball, who was reaching for a steal. As Bogdanovic changed direction he was fouled by the rookie and accidentally clipped his own heel, which caused him to fall off balance. He landed awkwardly on his right leg, which buckled underneath him and sent him crumbling to the floor. 

Here’s a video of the injury, which is not pleasant to look at:

Bogdanovic had to be helped to the locker room and did not return to the game. At this point it’s still too early to say how much time he might miss, but based strictly on the video and his reaction there’s unfortunately a good chance this will be a long-term injury. 

After an eventful offseason in which he was nearly traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, Bogdanovic signed a four-year, $72 million deal with the Hawks in free agency. He was part of a major overhaul for Atlanta, who also brought in Danilo Gallinari, Rajon Rondo and Kris Dunn. Unfortunately, Dunn, Bogdanovic and Gallinari have all gone down with injuries. Dunn hasn’t played due to ankle surgery, while Gallinari has played just one-plus game this season and is currently sidelined with a sprained ankle. 

Though they got off to a hot start, the Hawks have struggled lately, losing their last three games to fall to 4-4 on the season. They haven’t exactly faced elite competition either, dropping contests to the Cavaliers, Knicks and Hornets. If Bogdanovic is indeed out for a while it’s going to get even more difficult for Trae Young and Co. Known for their potent offensive attack, the Hawks’ have a dismal 98.3 offensive rating during the three-game losing streak, which is second-worst in the league over that time span. 

If that wasn’t bad enough, there’s also been some drama off the court. John Collins reportedly criticized Young during a contentious film session, and had support from various teammates. Players have also complained about head coach Lloyd Pierce, questioning his in-game decision making. 

All told, it’s clear that things are not going to plan in Atlanta this season. They had hopes of surging into the playoff picture, but between the injuries and internal strife that task is going to be much more difficult than they anticipated.