Julian Strawther Out Six Weeks With Left Knee Injury

Preseason setback for Denver

The Denver Nuggets received some bad news regarding their lineup rotation ahead of the regular season. Julian Strawther sprained his left knee on Wednesday night during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome.

The team officially announced on Friday night that the guard and forward will be re-evaluated in six weeks. He is now set to remain out indefinitely while recovering from the knee issue.

Strawther's contribution and path

Strawther was projected to come off the bench for Denver this season as a key secondary option. The 24 year old out of Gonzaga was taken 29th overall in the 2023 draft by the franchise.

He has started 18 games over his career so far. Last season, Strawther played in 57 games for the Nuggets and averaged 7.2 points per contest.

He also saw action in two playoff games a season ago. That postseason run ended early when Denver was knocked out in the first round by Minnesota.

Rotational impact for the Nuggets

With Strawther sidelined for at least six weeks before being re-evaluated, Denver will have to lean on other reserves. The versatile young player had built a solid role after his rookie campaign and was ready for key bench minutes.

Now, Denver must manage their opening schedule without him while he works his way back from the knee sprain.

What it means for the next game

Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA, Fri, 23 Oct): Oklahoma City Thunder win 72%, Denver Nuggets win 28%; projected score Oklahoma City Thunder 120, Denver Nuggets 113. Our safest pick: Thunder to win.

New Orleans Pelicans at Denver Nuggets (NBA, Sun, 25 Oct): Denver Nuggets win 75%, New Orleans Pelicans win 25%; projected score Denver Nuggets 123, New Orleans Pelicans 115. Our safest pick: Nuggets to win.