Wednesday saw a rash of injury updates around the NBA, here’s an update on some of the more notable ones. The best way to keep up with all the latest injuries and other news around the league is on the NBC Sports Rotoworld NBA page.
Zion Williamson to be re-evaluated in two more weeks
Zion may be way too good to be in the play-in tournament every year, but he has to get on the court to prove that. Zion has been out since Nov. 11 with a strained left hamstring and the Pelicans announced he is “progressing well through rehabilitation and will be re-examined in approximately two weeks.” That timeline would have Williamson out until about the far edge of the 6-8 week timeline announced when he first went out with the hamstring strain. The sense from league sources speaking to NBC Sports is to expect Williamson to be out longer than just two more weeks, that the word “indefinitely” may be the more accurate timeline.
In the six games he has played this season, Williamson has averaged 22.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists a night. That said, don’t expect the Pelicans to try to waive Williamson and get out of the final three years of his contract, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. Williamson has a unique contract that could allow New Orleans to waive Williamson for a fraction of the $126.5 million still on his contract, although that depends on if Zion met weight clauses in the contract. The Pelicans aren’t even thinking about that, Charania reports.
Pelicans’ Jose Alvarado to be re-evaluated in two weeks
It’s not just Zion who is out in New Orleans, there is a lengthy injury report. Among those on the list, the Pelicans say fan-favorite guard Jose Alvarado is out with a left hamstring strain and is “progressing well through rehabilitation and will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks.”
Kevin Durant out at least one week with sprained ankle
Phoenix is 1-6 this season when Kevin Durant is out, but he’s going to miss at least a week after spraining his ankle against the Spurs on Tuesday night. For more details, read NBC Sports full story on the Durant injury.
Clippers’ Terance Mann to undergo finger surgery
Clippers wing Terance Mann — a key rotational piece for Tyronn Lue and a team that is exceeding external expectations — is expected to miss at least three weeks (and likely longer) following surgery to repair a fractured middle finger, Law Murray of The Athletic reports.
Mann is a rock-solid two-way wing averaging 6.3 points and 3.1 rebounds a game for Los Angeles.
Grizzlies GG Jackson to remain out another 6-8 weeks
Memphis’ GG Jackson has yet to step on the court for Memphis this season due to a fractured foot (a Jones fracture to the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot. He was due to be re-evaluated around this time, but this is a notoriusly tricky and slow-to-heal injury and Jackson is going to need more time, the Grizzlies announced.
Jackson took advantage of his opportunity on an injury-ravaged team a season ago to earn a rotation spot. The Grizzlies could use him back along the front line this season.
Nuggets’ Vlatko Cancar had left knee scoped
Vlatko Cancar is a guy deep on the Nuggets bench trying to earn more minutes, but that quest is on hold for a while as he will be out for eight weeks after having his knee scoped, the team announced.
