The Nuggets have already lost two starters to injury this season, and we just got an update on another key bench player who hasn’t been in uniform lately. Julian Strawther hasn’t suited up since November 15th, popping up on the injury report with a mysterious back injury.
On Monday night, David Adelman shed some light on the issue, and it sounds like Strawther is experiencing constant pain; he’s not close to returning, and there’s no real timetable for him to come back. All in all, it was a grim update, and it doesn’t sound like Nuggets fans should expect to see Julian in action anytime soon.
“Yeah, he's been doing like minimal movement stuff. He was on the exercise machines today. I think it's just a process of the shot working and then seeing where it leads to, just through activity, not basketball activity or physicality. So, at this moment, I really don't have any update on him."
"He just woke up with pain, and then it just, you know, got considerably worse to the point where anybody that’s had back issues? I have. It sucks. Like, you can't do anything. No mobility, so we're just trying to work our way through it.”
Those comments from the Nuggets’ head coach are hardly encouraging, and are hardly what you’d want to hear in regards to a 23-year-old NBA player. Back issues can linger for a lifetime and be extremely fickle. They can get better, but rarely go away, so this is an extremely concerning development for a guy who has shown promise in recent years.
Strawther missing an opportunity to cement role in rotation
Perhaps the most unfortunate part of the whole situation is that with the Nuggets’ other injuries, they could really use Strawther right now, and it would likely be his best chance to prove himself and earn a consistent spot in the rotation.
He has been on the outskirts since being drafted, an occasional but not every-night player. But he has shone as a bench scorer and shooter when given the chance. The hope was that in his third season, he could take a step forward on both ends and become a reliable contributor.
But thanks to his injury, he’s seeing that opportunity go by the wayside and seeing other players like Peyton Watson, Spencer Jones, and others thrive. Hopefully, Strawther can heal up and get back on the court, and this is just a blip on the radar, but it’s troubling and untimely to say the least.