The NBA bubble was a rousing success as the NBA was able to finish the 2019-20 season with zero positive COVID-19 tests in Orlando. Now, less than three months after the Lakers were crowned champions, the 2020-21 season is set to begin.
The new season will bring a myriad of challenges to NBA teams and medical staffs that will drastically impact the Fantasy landscape. Multiple players testing positive for coronavirus was all but inevitable without the comfort of the bubble with multiple cases already confirmed. Fantasy managers must keep in mind that if a player tests positive for COVID-19, he will miss a minimum of 12 days, per league protocol.
Furthermore, a truncated offseason, coupled with a condensed regular season schedule, increases the likelihood of in-season injuries. A rise in soft tissues injuries, particularly in the early portions of the year, should be expected. As a result, Fantasy managers will need to stay diligent while monitoring player health and Fantasy leagues should consider adding an extra injured list spot to their roster settings.
The new season still brings carryover from previous seasons as well with multiple players still recovering from long-standing injuries. Let's take a look at a few of these cases.
Jaren Jackson Jr. and Kristaps Porzingis
Both big men sustained meniscus injuries during bubble play. Jackson was injured in early August, tearing one of the menisci in his right knee. Porzingis tore the lateral meniscus in his right knee in Game 1 of the Mavericks' first round matchup with the Clippers. Surgery was performed on both players and they are not expected to be available at the start of the season.
Meniscus injuries in the NBA are relatively common with multiple players including Russell Westbrook, Zion Williamson, and Blake Griffin suffering the injury in recent seasons. The menisci are two fibrocartilage discs that serve as both shock absorbers and stabilizers in the knee. Unfortunately, their positioning makes them vulnerable to injury with the resulting recovery linked to the location of the tear and the ensuing treatment option. It sounds like both Jackson and Porzingis underwent the more frequently used meniscectomy, meaning the damaged cartilage was simply removed.
The procedure comes with a relatively quick recovery, but both players will begin the season in street clothes. The Grizzlies have been tight-lipped regarding specifics on Jackson's timeline and a quick return should not be expected. The Mavericks have been a bit more forthcoming with details, revealing Porzingis isn't expected back until at least January. Furthermore, Porzingis's injury history will come into play here and it is expected that Dallas' medical team will utilize routine days off to protect their player from extra wear-and-tear.
The Sixers guard saw his season prematurely ended by a knee injury sustained in the early portion of the seeding games. Simmons suffered a subluxed patella (kneecap) and eventually underwent surgery. A subluxation occurs when the mobile kneecap is forced out of its normal alignment along the bones of the leg (think of a train jumping the tracks). However, the fact that the injury was classified as a subluxation and not a dislocation suggests the mal-alignment was brief and did not require medical assistance to return to its normal positioning. However, the long-term consequences with an injury of this magnitude are usually based on the amount of damage sustained to the surrounding structures, like ligaments or cartilage.
Simmons' need for a debridement hints a small piece of cartilage was dislodged in the process. The problematic tissue has since been removed and Simmons should be clear in time for training camp. While Simmons' list of injuries is starting to get long, his amount of inherent injury risk does not outweigh his potential reward. If you do opt to invest in the two-time All-Star consider adding a replacement player with a similar skill set to round out your bench.
The Celtics do not expect Walker to be available to start the year after he recently received a stem cell injection in his problematic knee. Walker has dealt with knee issues since high school, including a torn meniscus discovered while at UConn. He has undergone multiple surgeries since entering the NBA to address additional meniscus damage and a recurring cyst. The knee was an issue throughout the second half of the 2019-20 season and lingered into the offseason.
The injection Walker received uses stem cells derived from his blood or possibly a sample of fat. Components of the sample are extracted and injected at the injury site in hopes of naturally boosting the body's natural healing process. Once the associated symptoms, like swelling and inflammation, subside, Walker can focus on strengthening the knee in anticipation of returning.
Walker's injury profile and the treatments he has received suggest he is dealing with an underlying cartilage injury -- most likely arthritis. This is a chronic condition that will elevate Walker's injury risk moving forward. He should still remain a productive player when he takes the court, but look for the Celtics -- who added some insurance at point guard in the form of Jeff Teague -- to carefully handle his workload.
Fast Breaks
The two-time Finals MVP has not appeared in an NBA game since June of 2019 when he suffered a torn Achilles in Game 5 of the Finals against Toronto. The average missed time for recent Achilles tears in the NBA is 10 months, though the timing of Durant's injury and the subsequent prolonged season has delayed his return.
The extra time off may play in his favor as he is expected to be an active participant in training camp and be ready for the start of the regular season. Historically, the injury has been career-altering with few players returning to their previous level of play. However, Durant's talent is so unique that even if he does take a small step back, he still has a chance to be a top-tier Fantasy player. Those willing to invest in Durant should anticipate routine days off as the Nets take a long-term approach with his health.
The Warriors' All-Star will miss his second consecutive season after tearing his Achilles in a recent workout. Thompson had been working his way back from a torn ACL sustained in the 2019 NBA Finals. The sharpshooter will have his work cut out for him as he becomes just the second player since the 2005-06 season to sustain both a torn Achilles and a torn ACL. Former teammate DeMarcus Cousins is the only other player to share this distinction and will attempt to make his return this year in Houston.
The 10th overall pick in 2015 is yet to make his Grizzlies debut due to a pair of injuries. He was traded to Memphis while still nursing a bone contusion in his lower back. He had a chance to return to action in Orlando but suffered an undisclosed hip injury in practice and did not play. The team does not expect him to be ready for the start of the year, so Winslow is shaping up to be a precarious Fantasy investment.
