Nuggets security guard Julian Strother scheduled for an MRI on Thursday after injuring his left leg during Wednesday’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers, head coach David Adelman told journalists, including Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (subscription required).
During Wednesday’s game, with about 4:33 left in the third quarter, Strother fell to the floor trying to escape from a double team. His left leg got caught under him and twisted awkwardly as he landed on top of it (Link to video on Twitter). The 24-year-old winced in pain and remained on the court before leaving the game. As Durando points out, he didn’t seem to put any pressure on his leg as he left the floor.
Adelman said after the game that it was disappointing to see a player who had been “working his ass off all summer” injured, adding, “All you can do is hope for the best” (Link to Twitter via Katy Winge of Altitude).
Strawther, the 29th overall pick in the 2023 draft, played in 172 regular-season games for Denver over his first three NBA seasons, averaging 7.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.2 minutes per contest, shooting .429/.346/.801.
Although he is eligible for a rookie extension until Oct. 19, Strother wasn’t considered a strong candidate for a new deal even before the injury, given the Nuggets’ lack of future prospects and the former Gonzaga standout’s inconsistent role with the team to date.
Still, Strother had a strong preseason and made a compelling case to be included in Adelman’s rotation this fall. In four outings, he averaged 13.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG and 1.0 APG while shooting .463/.435/.833 in just 18.4 MPG.
Strother will be eligible for restricted free agency in 2027 unless he signs an extension on or before Monday.
