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#3 Jamal Murray
Another high-profile injury in the NBA worth keeping an eye on is that of Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray. He tore his ACL in a match against the Golden State Warriors in April 2021 and has been unavailable since then. For injuries like these, there is no time frame for a return as it solely depends on how the player feels.
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It will take 2-9 months to fully recover from ACL surgery but given the movements that NBA players, especially guards, are expected to perform, it might take a while longer.
Murray has also said that he is willing to wait it out no matter how frustrating it may be. Speaking to the press on media day, he said:
“I want to feel good when I come back. I don’t want to come back when I’m like 85%, whatever, no matter where the team’s at. I want to come back when it feels like I can play with the same amount of force that I normally play with.”
Murray is expected to be out until at least March 2, 2022. Until then, the team will rely on Nikola Jokic to orchestrate the offense.
#2 Kawhi Leonard
The last time Kawhi Leonard took the court was during the 2021 NBA playoffs Western Conference semi-finals, where he pulled up short while driving to the rim in Game 4. Reports stated that he partially tore his right ACL, an injury he has since received surgery for.
As things stand, there is no timeline for Kawhi's return, but he might be out until at least February 2022. Even so, the LA Clippers have committed to the forward long-term by signing a four-year $176.3 million contract.
#1 Klay Thompson
Klay Thompson's return is undoubtedly the most anticipated in the NBA right now as the shooting guard has missed two consecutive seasons due to injuries.
In the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors, Thompson sustained an ACL injury to his left knee and was sidelined for the entire 2019-20 NBA season. The 31-year-old was set to make a return last season, but he picked up an Achilles injury in the 2020 offseason during training.
Thompson's return will be a boost for the Golden State Warriors because of what the 6'6" guard brings on both ends of the court. However, they will have to play without him for a while longer until at least December 25.
