The Nuggets have been surviving the best they can without their two injured starters, Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun. But they’ve quietly been getting by without another rotation player who could be helpful as well, with Julian Strawther missing the last few weeks with a back injury.
But on Sunday, coach David Adelman gave a promising update, stating that Strawther has practiced hard and there’s hope that he’ll be activated for Monday’s game against the Rockets. Said Adelman, “I’m very, very hopeful this week is the week.”
Strawther’s injury seemed to pop up out of nowhere as he was fine to start the season, before being ruled out, then missing multiple games. Adelman had explained that Julian woke up hurting, and there was no timetable for his return.
It was a concerning update, and one that made it sound like we may not see Strawther for a long time, so it’s promising to hear he could be back this soon, weeks before we may even get an update on either Gordon or Braun.
Strawther has real chance to earn rotation minutes
The potential return to action comes not a moment too soon, as the Nuggets have been scraping by with a depleted rotation. Guys like Peyton Watson, Spencer Jones, and others have stepped up in the absence of Gordon, Braun, and Strawther, but those guys are leading the way with their defense and energy.
Strawther can offer another, much different kind of support with his offensive skills and shooting. Julian can be more of a scorer and floor spacer off the bench who can fit in well around the stars like Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, and also offer a nice dose of offense alongside the more defensive-minded units.
He has been in and out of the rotation since being drafted and has been hampered by numerous injuries that have kept him from carving out a consistent spot in the lineup. But now, there is a real opportunity, perhaps the best he has ever said.
The Nuggets need as much shooting as they can find, and there’s a real role available for a guy who can come in and provide floor spacing and an instant scoring punch. We’ve seen Tim Hardaway Jr. thriving with a similar skillset, and with steady minutes, there’s hope that Strawther can develop into that kind of player.
Now that he’s finally healthy, he has a great opportunity. Hopefully, he can hit the ground running and earn minutes and carve out a role, even when the team is at full strength.