A wave of injuries during the NBA's opening week has left prominent players facing lengthy absences and coaches questioning what might be contributing to the losses. Rockets coach Ime Udoka described the situation as "unprecedented" for this stage of the season, with consequences already reaching the championship race and eligibility for major individual awards.
Among the most serious cases, Jalen Williams suffered a broken fibula and dislocated ankle, while Cason Wallace tore his labrum. Both are expected to miss most, potentially all, of the season. Anthony Edwards is expected to be sidelined for multiple months following arthroscopic knee surgery. Jaren Jackson Jr. faces an absence of six to eight weeks with a torn MCL, and Paolo Banchero is expected to miss four to six weeks with a high ankle sprain.
Tyrese Haliburton and Jalen Duren each face at least two weeks out with hamstring strains, as does Jalen Suggs with a knee bone bruise. Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss multiple weeks because of knee swelling. Those setbacks follow preseason injuries to Ben Simmons, whose torn Achilles tendon ended his season, and Kon Knueppel, who has yet to play after straining his hamstring.
Speaking in the visiting locker room at Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum, Kevin Durant said he could not identify a clear explanation. Durant missed the entire 2019-20 season after tearing his Achilles tendon in the 2019 Finals. He cited the game's pace, the number of possessions and the 82-game schedule as theories others have raised. "I wish I knew the science behind why all of these injuries are happening," he said.
Some injuries resulted from falls or contact, including Williams trapping his leg beneath his body and Suggs landing on Banchero's ankle. The number of soft-tissue injuries, however, has generated broader concern. Warriors coach Steve Kerr has repeatedly argued that the regular season is too long, while Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has highlighted the increased speed of play. Udoka and Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins also questioned whether shorter training camps and fewer preseason games could be factors.
Udoka said Wednesday that his team played only three preseason games and that some players did not appear in all of them. Jenkins said league and team personnel continue examining preseason and offseason practices. Former Bucks star Marques Johnson, now a broadcaster, offered another possibility: the repeated physical demands of modern moves, including hard Eurosteps and sudden deceleration. He emphasized that his assessment was a layman's view and pointed to players practicing those movements throughout the year.
Rockets guard Fred VanVleet, the National Basketball Players Association president, expressed doubt that injuries can be prevented, describing them as a problem across sports and age groups. VanVleet, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL, said he has been working with the NBA through the union on possible measures, with players and the league sharing a desire to keep athletes available.
VanVleet nevertheless called for greater attention to player health and more investment in resources and scientific research, arguing that the NBA should take a leading role. CBS Sports said it contacted the league earlier in the week about possible injury-prevention measures but had received no response by Friday afternoon.
