Unfortunately for the NBA, injuries often happen, and it doesn’t discriminate whether you’re a role player or a franchise cornerstone.
This was the case for these stars in particular, as Jimmy Butler, Ja Morant, Kristaps Porzingis, and Kawhi Leonard, among others, were unable to help their respective teams as much as they would like last season.
The Heat, Grizzlies, and Clippers need their stars back at 100-per cent fitness this upcoming season to get into playoff contention. Meanwhile, a healthy Kristaps Porzingis increases the NBA 2024 odds of the Celtics successfully defending their title.
So, where do they stand on the status of their injuries ahead of training camp? Without further ado, SBOTOP dishes the latest NBA 2024 updates on these stars.
Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
The Heat couldn’t replicate their surprising 2022-23 NBA Finals run last season because Jimmy Butler injured his knee during the play-in against the Sixers. As a result, Miami came in again as the eighth seed in the playoffs, and they were eliminated in five games by Boston in the first round.
If Butler was there, the series against the Celtics would’ve been more competitive. Instead, Miami is under uncertainty regarding the 35-year-old’s long-term future with the club.
Heat president Pat Riley made it clear that he is unwilling to hand out extensions to players with durability issues, which is deemed a shot at Jimmy Butler since he hasn’t played more than 65 regular season games in Miami.
Last season, Butler appeared in 60 regular season games, averaging 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest while shooting 49.9 per cent from the field.
Jimmy Butler is expected to be ready come training camp, but his contract situation will loom large in Miami, especially with teams like the Nets and Warriors reportedly interested in acquiring him.
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies fell to the lottery after finishing the 2023-24 regular season with a woeful 27-55 record, and their forgettable campaign can be mainly attributed to injuries.
Ja Morant was the main casualty, as he only played nine regular season games. The high-flying guard missed 25 games due to suspension, but after his brief comeback, his 2023-24 campaign was cut short due to a shoulder injury that needed season-ending surgery.
The Grizzlies were 6-3 when Morant played last season, and he averaged 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field.
Fortunately for Memphis, Morant’s shoulder is healed up now, so he’s available to come to training camp. And with the draft selection of Zach Edey, the Grizzlies might emerge as a dark horse in the Western Conference.
Kristaps Porzingis, Boston Celtics
The Celtics will find it harder than usual to defend their NBA championship because Kristaps Porzingis is expected to miss the start of the 2024-25 season due to a serious left leg injury.
Porzingis is the Celtics’ trump card because he is a walking mismatch. The one-time NBA All-Star can space the floor with his outside shot, and he is also an excellent finisher and protector of the rim, given his height of 7’2”.
In his first year with Boston, Porzingis posted robust averages of 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.9 blocks while shooting 51.6 per cent from the field and 37.5 percent from three-point range in 57 regular season games.
Even if he comes back, expect the Celtics to manage his load throughout the season as they gear up for another deep playoff run.
Al Horford will be called upon to take his place in the meantime, while Xavier Tillman, Luke Kornet, and Neemias Queta will back the 38-year-old up in frontcourt.
Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
Kawhi Leonard was supposed to play for Team USA this summer and add another Olympic gold medal to his resume. However, the national team opted for a different direction and replaced him with Derrick White.
The reason why Team USA did it was because of Leonard’s chronic knee inflammation. It was the same knee injury that caused him to miss the Clippers’ final eight regular season games and four playoff games against the Mavericks during the first round of the playoffs.
As it turns out, sitting out the Olympics was the right move for Leonard, as Clippers head coach Ty Lue expects the two-time NBA champion to be ready at the start of training camp.
With Paul George leaving for the Sixers, Kawhi Leonard, who signed a three-year, $152.4 million extension this offseason, is expected to carry the Clippers this upcoming season.
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