Roundtable Sports

Hawks Rookie Kingston Flemings Suspended One Game for Elbowing

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Atlanta Hawks guard Kingston Flemings has been handed a one-game suspension without pay for intentionally elbowing New Orleans Pelicans guard Bryce McGowens in the head, James Jones, the league’s executive vice president and head of basketball operations, announced.

Flemings will serve the suspension on Monday night when the Hawks visit the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, marking the first game the nineteen-year-old will miss this season after appearing in all seven of Atlanta’s contests.

The Fourth-Quarter Ejection at Smoothie King Center

The incident unfolded with 3:04 left in the fourth quarter during the Hawks’ 121-99 loss to New Orleans. Tension flared after McGowens blocked a layup attempt by Flemings. On the ensuing possession, Trey Murphy III caught an alley-oop pass from Zion Williamson to push the Pelicans’ lead to 119-93. Flemings then elbowed McGowens in the face, sparking a brief on-court scrum that prompted referees to review the video feed before assessing Flemings a technical foul and an immediate ejection.

New Orleans forward Julian Reese also drew a technical foul during the same stoppage in play. Before his exit, Flemings recorded 12 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in 24 minutes and 39 seconds of action, shooting 4-of-8 from the field, 1-of-2 from beyond the arc, and 3-of-3 at the free-throw line. McGowens finished the night with 3 points, 2 steals, and a block.

The lopsided defeat dropped Atlanta to 3-4 on the season on the third leg of a stretch featuring three games in four nights. The Hawks struggled offensively, shooting just 8-of-46 from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Pelicans secured their second win after opening the campaign with four straight losses.

Draft Roots and Roster Shuffling in Atlanta

Flemings arrived in Atlanta via a draft-night maneuver in 2025. The Hawks originally selected Derik Queen 13th overall before trading him to New Orleans. In return, Atlanta acquired the 23rd pick—used to select Asa Newell—alongside an unprotected 2026 first-rounder representing the more favorable selection between New Orleans and Milwaukee. That asset yielded the eighth overall pick in June, which the Hawks used to draft Flemings out of Houston, where he earned second-team All-American honors after averaging 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game for a 30-7 Cougars squad.

Hawks rookie Kingston Flemings suspended 1 game for elbow vs. Pelicans
Photo: nba.com

Both rookies saw the floor Saturday. Queen contributed 8 points and 8 rebounds for the Pelicans, while Newell scored 13 points for Atlanta, all coming after halftime. Flemings subsequently signed his rookie-scale contract on July 2.

Jock Landale (left hip strain), Mouhamed Gueye (left foot fracture), and Henri Veesaar (torn right ACL) remain out.

Flemings is eligible to return Wednesday when the Hawks play the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena.

Clint Capela leaves the game after getting an elbow to the face 😬 Hawks vs Bucks Game 4

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