This article is part of our NBA Injury Analysis series.
In the latest edition of NBA Injury Analysis, Jeff Stotts takes a look at five of the biggest injury storylines impacting the fantasy basketball landscape.
Zion Williamson, Pelicans
The fantasy landscape was altered early when Pelicans executive David Griffin announced that Williamson underwent surgery in the offseason to address a foot fracture. There was hope the third-year forward would be back by Opening Night but Williamson has yet to take the court as his recovery continues.
Williamson suffered a broken fifth metatarsal, one of the long bones of the foot that bridges the tarsal bones of the midfoot to the bones of the toes. The fifth metatarsal is located on the outside of the foot, at the base of the pinkie toe. Fractures of the fifth metatarsal are common occurrences in the NBA and can occur in an assortment of ways. However, location of the break tends to be the biggest deciding factor in treatment options and subsequent time lost. If the fracture site is located at or near the base of the fifth metatarsal the injury is considered a Jones fracture. These types of injuries often require surgery as the area has a poor blood supply. By inserting surgical hardware, the chances of a delayed union or nonunion are reduced.
Recovery can occur in six-to-eight weeks though an 8-to-10-week window is likely a safer estimate. The average time lost for recent in-season fifth metatarsal fractures is about 42 games (roughly 10 to 11 weeks). Players like Kevin Durant
In the latest edition of NBA Injury Analysis, Jeff Stotts takes a look at five of the biggest injury storylines impacting the fantasy basketball landscape.
Zion Williamson, Pelicans
The fantasy landscape was altered early when Pelicans executive David Griffin announced that Williamson underwent surgery in the offseason to address a foot fracture. There was hope the third-year forward would be back by Opening Night but Williamson has yet to take the court as his recovery continues.
Williamson suffered a broken fifth metatarsal, one of the long bones of the foot that bridges the tarsal bones of the midfoot to the bones of the toes. The fifth metatarsal is located on the outside of the foot, at the base of the pinkie toe. Fractures of the fifth metatarsal are common occurrences in the NBA and can occur in an assortment of ways. However, location of the break tends to be the biggest deciding factor in treatment options and subsequent time lost. If the fracture site is located at or near the base of the fifth metatarsal the injury is considered a Jones fracture. These types of injuries often require surgery as the area has a poor blood supply. By inserting surgical hardware, the chances of a delayed union or nonunion are reduced.
Recovery can occur in six-to-eight weeks though an 8-to-10-week window is likely a safer estimate. The average time lost for recent in-season fifth metatarsal fractures is about 42 games (roughly 10 to 11 weeks). Players like Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons, Julius Randle, and Brook Lopez have all missed significant stretches of playing time after suffering a fractured fifth metatarsal.
Even worse, the odds of a re-fracture in fifth metatarsal fractures are high, especially if the shape of the individual's foot contributed to the fracture. Lopez and Durant both needed secondary surgeries due to address additional problems in the foot. Furthermore, complications following surgery are also possible and are often linked to surgical hardware issues. Randle, Glen Davis, and Jodie Meeks all needed additional surgeries after reporting hardware failures.
As a result, Williamson's inherent injury risk will remain high when he is eventually cleared for a complete return. He was recently cleared to participate in contact drills, including limited one-on-one workouts. Zion is slated to undergo additional scans in the week ahead. Should those images come back clean, he could progress to full activity and a return to play date can be set.
Fantasy managers will be happy to have the 2021 All-Star back in the mix but should keep an insurance policy readily available should he suffer some sort of setback. Look for his minutes to gradually be ramped upon his return.
De'Andre Hunter, Hawks
After missing a bulk of the 2020-21 season with a meniscus injury, the Hawks forward suffered a wrist injury and will one again be sidelined for a considerable stretch. Hunter injured one of the tendons in his right wrist and surgery was necessary to fix the issue. Injuries of this kind and magnitude are relatively rare in the NBA but there have been several notable exceptions.
James Jones, Iman Shumpert, and Rashard Lewis all underwent in-season wrist surgery for tendon-related issues. The average missed time for these cases was roughly 26 games, a number in line with the estimated timeline of eight weeks provided by the Hawks. Kevin Huerter has replaced Hunter in the Atlanta starting lineup and seen a major uptick in productivity. In his five starts this season, Huerter is averaging 15.5 points per game on 60 percent shooting. Cam Reddish will also see an increase in usage with Hunter sidelined.
Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers
The Blazers have had a slow start to the year, largely due to Lillard's early season struggles. His current scoring average is his lowest since his rookie season and his field goal percentage is a career-low. However, a lingering abdominal injury may be the culprit behind Lillard's poor play.
He recently missed a game with what is being described as an abdominal tendinopathy and continues to appear on Portland's injury report. Tendinopathy is a bit of a catch-all term used to describe a muscle injury that involves damage to the tendon. We know Lillard has dealt with the issue for several seasons now and irritated the area while playing with Team USA over the summer.
Surgery does not appear to be on the table at the moment ,and it looks like the Blazers will try to address the associated symptoms while letting him continue playing. However, they could opt to limit his minutes in certain situations and an occasional day off seems plausible. Hopefully, the issue will improve with time, and he can return to his normal All-Star form.
Michael Porter Jr., Nuggets
The forward has not played since making an early exit in a November 6 game against the Rockets. The injury was originally called lower back soreness, but recent reports suggest the pain is associated with a nerve injury, raising red flags for his short and long-term availability.
Porter missed his entire rookie season after undergoing back surgery, specifically a L3-L4 microdiscectomy. In the procedure, pieces of a lumbar disc causing an impingement in his back were removed. Now, Porter is once again reporting nerve-related symptoms, suggesting another impingement is occurring. It's not uncommon for NBA players who require disc surgery to report issues later in the career.
Since the 2005-06 season, 77 percent of players who underwent disc-related surgeries reported problems like spasms, soreness, or nerve pain. Furthermore, 30 percent of these cases required a secondary surgery. These concerns are precisely why Porter fell to Denver at the 14th pick in the first place. The Nuggets have ruled him on indefinitely and fantasy managers should begin to make plans to be without his services for the foreseeable future and perhaps the remainder of the season.
Collin Sexton, Cavaliers
The Cavaliers have lost Sexton for the year after the guard suffered a torn meniscus. Meniscus recoveries are dependent on the type of procedure used. A meniscectomy or removal allows the injured athlete to return quicker but can lead to more long-term complications as part or all the cartilage is excised. True repairs preserve the cartilage but come with a lengthier recovery. Repairs are only possible if the damage occurs in a very specific area of the involved disc.
Sexton's procedure was an actual repair which is why Cleveland will be without his services for the remainder of the season. Darius Garland and Ricky Rubio will see their long-term fantasy value rise with Sexton sidelined.
