Nuggets vs. Hawks Injury Report for Atlanta's First Post-Trae Young Game

The Atlanta Hawks made a huge trade on Wednesday night, sending four-time All-Star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. First up on the Hawks' schedule after the blockbuster deal? The Denver Nuggets.

The Nuggets have to gear up to face a version of the Hawks that no other team has faced this season, although this Denver squad seems to be changing every game as well. The Nuggets have been dealing with a plethora of injuries, although things are trending in the right direction for Friday's game, despite Denver still playing without a few key players.

BREAKING: The Atlanta Hawks are trading four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/WIf8rhrRFu
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 8, 2026

Nuggets list several key players as "probable"

The Nuggets have continued to battle injuries, most notably to three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. While Jokic, along with a couple of other key players, remain sidelined for Friday's game, the Nuggets are expected to have their other key injured players available. The Nuggets' full injury report:

Christian Braun - PROBABLE (left ankle sprain)

Bruce Brown - PROBABLE (right knee inflammation)

Aaron Gordon - PROBABLE (right hamstring strain)

Jamal Murray - {PROBABLE (left ankle sprain; illness)

Spencer Jones - QUESTIONABLE (left ankle inflammation; illness)

Cam Johnson - OUT (right knee bone bruise)

Nikola Jokic - OUT (left knee bone bruise)

Jonas Valanciunas - OUT (right calf strain)

Tamar Bates - OUT (left foot surgery)

Injury Report ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Hawks:

PROBABLE:
Aaron Gordon (Right Hamstring Strain)
Christian Braun (Left Ankle Sprain)
Jamal Murray (Left Ankle Sprain, Illness)
Bruce Brown (Right Knee Inflammation)

QUESTIONABLE:
Spencer Jones (Left Ankle Inflammation,… pic.twitter.com/kJFgD1KNLS
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 8, 2026

The Nuggets are still playing without Jokic, Valanciunas, and Johnson, which is a huge blow for them, but they have proven they can compete regardless. Sure, it is a concern that other guys like Murray, Gordon, Braun, Brown, and Jones have injury designations, but as long as they are good to go, then the Nuggets should not have much trouble staying competitive.

It is worth noting that Jones is listed as questionable after leaving Wednesday's win after just nine minutes of action, being diagnosed with left ankle inflammation. Keeping the two-way standout in the lineup would be huge, especially against this Hawks team with an impressive frontcourt.

Hawks' injury report vs. Nuggets

The Hawks have been dealing with a few key injuries throughout the season, most notably to star point guard Trae Young. The All-Star played just 11 games for Atlanta before getting traded to Washington, but their injury report suggests the trade is still not official. Regardless, Young will not suit up for Atlanta or even be in attendance for the game. The Hawks' full injury report:

Trae Young - OUT (not with team)

N'Faly Dante - OUT (right knee torn ACL)

Since the trade has still not been made official, that also means that the Nuggets will not have to face Kispert and McCollum, who will not be able to make their Hawks debut yet.

Regardless of whether the trade gets finalized before the game or not, this will be the Hawks team the Nuggets are facing, and they will likely be playing with a different energy than before. Their first game after a franchise-altering trade will undoubtedly be an interesting one, and one they certainly want to win.

Still, the Nuggets know they have the firepower and depth to keep up with this Hawks team, no matter who is on the floor. Jalen Johnson, especially, poses a threat to Denver's damaged frontcourt, but the Nuggets will do what they can to contain him without having to worry about Young.

The Nuggets and Hawks are set to tip off at 7:00 p.m. MT in Denver on Friday.