Nuggets wing Julian Strawther has been diagnosed with a left knee sprain following an MRI, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link via Law Murray of The Athletic).
According to the Nuggets, Strawther will be reevaluated in six weeks. Exactly six weeks from today would be November 27.
Of course, being reevaluated in six weeks doesn’t mean Strawther will be able to return at that point. But it at least sounds like he has a good chance to play this season, which is good news after suffering the scary-looking injury during Wednesday’s preseason game against the Clippers.
Handling the ball with about 4:33 left in the third quarter in Wednesday’s game, Strawther fell to the floor as he attempted to navigate out of a double-team. His left leg got caught underneath him and twisted awkwardly as he landed on it (Twitter video link). The 24-year-old grimaced in pain and stayed down on the court before checking out of the game.
Head coach David Adelman said after the game that it was disappointing to see a player who had been “working their ass off all summer” go down with an injury, adding, “All you can do is hope for the best” (Twitter link via Katy Winge of Altitude).
Strawther, the 29th overall pick in the 2023 draft, has appeared in 172 regular season games for Denver during his first three NBA seasons, averaging 7.1 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 16.2 minutes per contest, with a .429/.346/.801 shooting line.
Although he’s eligible for a rookie scale extension until October 19, Strawther wasn’t considered a strong candidate for a new deal even before the injury, given that the Nuggets are cap-strapped going forward and the former Gonzaga standout has played an inconsistent role for the team to date.
Still, Strawther has had a strong preseason and was making a compelling case to be included in Adelman’s rotation this fall. In four outings, he has averaged 13.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG, and 1.0 APG on .463/.435/.833 shooting in just 18.4 MPG.
Strawther will be eligible for restricted free agency in 2027 if he doesn’t sign an extension on or before Monday.
