Heading into the 2017-18 NBA season, here’s a look at 15 injury-prone players who have a lot riding on staying healthy this time around.
The worst part about the NBA — or any sport, for that matter — is injury. There’s a reason they say it takes a little luck to win a title: Sometimes a star player getting hurt can be the biggest difference between championship glory and the kind of disappointment that’s impossible to forget.
That especially holds true in basketball, a team sport where one superstar can take over a game since there are only five players on the court for each team. As such, losing such a star player could very easily end a team’s aspirations for a season before the playoffs even arrive.
Injuries are inevitable, at least until modern science evolves to the point where we’re all invincible. Every year we bemoan rotten injury luck to our favorite players, especially if they’re stars who are intrinsic to their team’s success.
Heading into 2017-18, there are several players — both prominent and not so recognizable — who have been labeled as “injury-prone” after failing to put together healthy seasons for the last couple of years. Whether they’re overpaid, approaching free agency, or simply notoriously brittle, there are quite a few key players hoping to change their track record with a healthy campaign.
As we approach a new NBA season, it’s time to take a look at 15 players who have a lot riding on a healthy 2017-18 campaign as they try to shed that injury-prone label.
15. Isaiah Thomas
Now that the Kyrie Irving trade is official, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a lot riding on Isaiah Thomas‘ health in 2017-18. To name a few: The team’s 2018 championship hopes, the fate of LeBron James‘ free agency decision, the need for avoiding “Derrick Rose, starting point guard” being a thing, IT’s own free agency prospects and the rebuilding course of the franchise.
So yeah, no pressure.
Entering the season with a hip injury that could keep him out for the first few weeks or until the All-Star break depending on who you ask, Thomas was the centerpiece of the Kyrie trade in terms of established talent. IT is Kyrie’s direct replacement, and if he’s healthy, the 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game he averaged last year keep Cleveland’s (faint) title hopes intact.
If he’s hurt, however, LeBron has to carry the load, likely falls short against that Golden State Warriors juggernaut and decides to bolt. That may happen with a healthy IT too, since his defensive issues will be exploited over and over in a Finals series, but even if Thomas has never exactly been “injury-prone,” he has to crack this list because of how much is riding on his return.
14. Patrick Beverley
No one’s quite sure who’s going to be the starting point guard in a backcourt that includes Patrick Beverley, Milos Teodosic and Austin Rivers, but with Chris Paul gone, it’s important that the Los Angeles Clippers have everyone available if they want to return to the playoffs in 2018.
Beverley typically isn’t pegged as being an injury-prone guy, but a look at his first five years in the league shows he consistently misses time with nagging injuries. For his career, he’s missed 41, 26, 26, 11 and 15 games each season, only topping the 70-game threshold once.
The Clippers are used to that sort of thing with CP3 and Blake Griffin, but the margin for error next season will be razor thin. Given Teodosic’s defensive flaws, Lob City needs Beverley — whose $5 million salary for 2018-19 is non-guaranteed — on the floor as often as possible to stay respectable on that end of the floor.
13. Joakim Noah
This ship has probably already sailed, but how could we not include a guy who’s being paid $72 million over four years to mostly sit on the bench? Even without Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez and Kyle O’Quinn needing minutes at the 5, this would be one of the worst contracts in the NBA simply because Joakim Noah can’t stay on the floor.
Last year, Noah missed 36 games and was a shell of his former self even when he was on the court. The year before that with the Chicago Bulls, he missed 53 games. Aside from an 80-game campaign in 2013-14, Noah has missed 18, 34, 18, 16, 15, 53 and 36 games dating back to the 2009-10 season.
“Injury-prone” doesn’t even come close to describing it, and if Noah can’t return healthy, there’s no way on earth the New York Knicks will ever be able to dump his contract.
It’s probably unrealistic even if he does stay healthy, but the good news is if Noah misses time due to injury (and the remaining 10 games on his suspension), Porzingis and Hernangomez should get ample time at the 5.
12. Cameron Payne
Through his first two years in the league, Cameron Payne is known for two things: His hilarious pregame dance routines with Russell Westbrook, and his propensity for riding the bench due to injury.
As a rookie, Payne only played 57 games, entering the season with a broken finger. Then he entered his second season recovering from foot surgery, and he was limited to a combined 31 games between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Chicago Bulls.
Now, despite being part of a pu-pu platter of point guard options for the Bulls, Payne still can’t separate himself from the pack, since the underwhelming 23-year-old won’t be on the court until November thanks to another foot surgery.
At this rate, Payne can’t even stay healthy enough for pregame dance routines anymore. In a potential make-or-break third season, he’ll have an awful lot to prove in a backcourt with plenty of options but not any good answers…even if his team option for 2018-19 is only $3.3 million.
11. Jahlil Okafor
Like Payne and several other players on this list, it feels a bit hasty to call Jahlil Okafor “injury-prone” based on only two seasons in the league. But considering Okafor’s shaky standing with the Philadelphia 76ers and his surprisingly low trade value, it’s safe to say it’s important he stays healthy in 2017-18.
At this point, the only possible reasons the Sixers haven’t dumped him yet are because he’s still only 21 years old, because they need insurance for the worst-case scenario with Joel Embiid or because he hasn’t been on the court long enough to build any real trade value.
His numbers and playing time plummeted last year with the emergence of Embiid, but Okafor didn’t do himself any favors either, missing 32 games after missing 29 as a rookie. His first year was shut down by a meniscus tear, so it was discouraging to see him shut down for final month of his sophomore season due to knee soreness.
Whether it’s to prove he’s still a part of “The Process” or to increase his trade value to find a new NBA home, Okafor will be hoping to enjoy the first healthy season of his career in 2017-18, because as of right now, that $6.3 million team option for 2018-19 looks like more than he’s worth.
10. Alec Burks
It wasn’t long ago that Alec Burks seemed like a player ready to make the jump from “super sixth man” to “legitimate NBA starter” with the Utah Jazz. In 2013-14, he averaged 14.0 points per game on .457/.350/.748 shooting splits in 78 appearances.
He signed a four-year, $42 million extension that summer and was making good on it early in 2014-15, posting 13.9 points per game on 38.2 percent shooting from 3-point range through the first 27 games.
Then he was ruled out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury and everything changed. Since that disappointing 27-game season, Burks has missed 51 and 40 games due to ankle problems requiring surgery.
He doesn’t have to worry about free agency until 2019, but with Ricky Rubio, Dante Exum, Rodney Hood, Donovan Mitchell and Raul Neto in the same backcourt, a healthy season would go a long way in lining up a new NBA home for when he’s eventually squeezed from the roster.
9. Derrick Rose
After years of talk about his free agency, Derrick Rose had to settle for the veteran minimum to get yet another shot at redemption, this time with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now, the former Most Valuable Player will get another one-year trial period to prove he still has value in this league.
Unfortunately, that’ll be easier said than done, especially with so much pressure on his shoulders as long as Isaiah Thomas remains sidelined. Any team with LeBron has pressure to contend, but the Cavs also have to deal with the weight of King James’ possible departure if they fail.
For Rose himself, there’s pressure to finally have a healthy season after his 2016-17 campaign was cut short by a meniscus tear. The injury was described as minor, but a fourth knee surgery over the course of a nine-year career isn’t exactly reassuring given Rose’s injury history.
Between the Cavs’ title aspirations, Rose’s extensive injury history and the fact that LeBron, IT and Rose will all be free agents next summer, yes, there’s a lot on the line for a player who’s missed 18, 16, 31, 72 and 82 games dating back to that first fateful ACL tear.
8. Danilo Gallinari
That three-year, $65 million sign-and-trade is going to look mighty dumb for the Los Angeles Clippers if Danilo Gallinari can’t stay on the court more than he has for the past few seasons. While a revamped frontcourt of Gallo, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan sounds tantalizing on paper, injury concerns remain very real for two-thirds of it.
As far as the Italian rooster is concerned, there’s no question he can score, spread the floor and log valuable minutes as a small-ball 4. However, he’s also missed 19, 29, 23 and 82 games dating back to the ACL tear that ended his promising 2012-13 season.
Sporting a variety of maladies over the last few years, Gallinari’s impact has been limited despite what the raw numbers — 18.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game on .447/.389/.902 shooting splits last year — indicate. For a Clippers team used to key players sitting out, the front office will be hoping this fully guaranteed, three-year investment pans out better.
7. Jabari Parker
Make that two out of three NBA seasons prematurely ended by an ACL tear for Jabari Parker. Though he played a career-high 76 games in his second season, it was sandwiched by a 25-game rookie campaign and a 51-game season in 2016-17, with both being cut short by a torn ACL in the same left knee.
This obviously sucks for the Milwaukee Bucks, who are starting to put together something really promising between Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Thon Maker, Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, Tony Snell and Parker. In fact, they could be one team that has “next” when the Golden State Warriors’ reign ends.
Unfortunately, Parker’s best season yet — 20.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, .490/.365/.743 shooting splits — was chopped down in its prime by an injury that would’ve been worrisome if it had only been the first time.
Throw in his restricted free agency next summer and it’s imperative that Parker can return fully healthy at some point in 2017-18 and put questions about his future to bed.
6. Derrick Favors
Derrick Favors is one of the few players on this list who will be an unrestricted free agent once the 2017-18 season ends, so it’s pretty obvious what’s on the line for him. With Gordon Hayward gone and his fit alongside Rudy Gobert being so awkward on the offensive end, it’s almost certain he’ll be parting ways with the Utah Jazz soon — either via trade or free agency.
The manner of his departure depends on how the Jazz fare without Hayward as the trade deadline approaches, but Favors’ health will be the biggest factor. Last season he missed 32 games and was a shell of his former self, averaging 9.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for the season.
Compared to the season prior, when he put up 16.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game as a fringe All-Star candidate despite missing another 20 games, it became clear Favors’ place in this league was diminishing. Though he’s still a stout defender, Favors needs to put together a strong 2017-18 campaign to reestablish his value.
5. DeMarre Carroll
DeMarre Carroll will be paid $15.4 million this season and another $15.4 million in 2018-19, so he’s all set there. However, after being unceremoniously dumped by the Toronto Raptors following a truly lackluster couple of seasons up north, it’s pretty clear his value isn’t what it once was.
In 2014-15, the Atlanta Hawks won 60 games with every starter except Carroll earning an All-Star bid. However, that didn’t underscore Carroll’s importance, as his 3-and-D skill-set was crucial to helping the Hawks to one of their best seasons in franchise history.
Unfortunately, his success earned him a four-year, $58 million deal from the Raptors he was unable to ever make good on. He missed 56 games in his first season with the team, and though he only missed 10 games last year, you wouldn’t have known it based on how much he played and how little he did in his time on the court.
With Carroll’s numbers shrinking to 8.9 points per game on 40 percent shooting, it was no surprise the Raptors traded for P.J. Tucker and then dumped Carroll on the Brooklyn Nets after the season ended. Now, playing for one of the worst teams in the East, it’s up to the 31-year-old Carroll to live up to that gaudy paycheck, provide a veteran presence and prove he’s not washed up after all.
4. Blake Griffin
Expectations for the Los Angeles Clippers may be lower than they’ve ever been during the Lob City era, but with Chris Paul gone and Blake Griffin inked to a whopping five-year, $173 million contract extension, there’s more pressure on the Flyin’ Lion than ever before.
With many believing the Clippers should “blow it up,” signing an injury-prone player like Griffin to a deal that will pay him through his age-32 season is risky. The front office reloaded about as well as could be expected with CP3 on his way out, but Griffin’s health is now at the crux of the team’s playoff hopes.
His injury history is not the most comforting. Even ignoring how he had to miss his entire rookie year due to a kneecap injury, Griffin has missed 15, 47 and 21 games over the last three years. Even worse than missed regular season games, though, is his unlucky penchant for sustaining season-ending injuries in the playoffs.
Last year, he lasted three games before being ruled out for the postseason due to a toe injury. The year before, it was a quad injury that took him down four games into the playoffs. The last time he stayed healthy in the playoffs, he put up a monstrous 25.5 points, 12.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game.
The talent is abundantly clear, but can he stay healthy long enough to A) Lead the Clippers back to the promised land and B) Actually see them through an entire playoff series? For the price of $173 million, the Clippers had better be hoping the answer is yes.
3. Chandler Parsons
Poor Chandler Parsons. After signing a four-year, $94 million contract with the Memphis Grizzlies last summer, you could argue his deal is as bad as any in the NBA right now. Yes, even on par with the Joakim Noah, Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng atrocities.
In his first year with the Grizz, a player who was supposed to be the X-factor to elevate this team to new heights played a meager 34 games, averaging just 6.2 points and 2.5 rebounds in 19.9 minutes per game. He shot 33.8 percent from the floor, 26.9 percent from deep and was a complete train wreck in the limited time he saw.
He entered the season coming off knee surgery, made his season debut in November, missed 17 games with a bone bruise on his knee, came back in December, and then was ruled out for the rest of the season with a meniscus tear in that same left knee.
Considering Parsons is paid through 2019-20 and has missed 48, 21 and 16 games over the last three seasons, this already looks like an awful investment — especially for a Grizzlies team that has no way of putting a quality team around Mike Conley and Marc Gasol before their primes are over. A strong 2017-18 season from Parsons would be a huge relief, unlikely as it seems.
2. Nerlens Noel
With the free agency market dried up and some sort of madness taking hold that convinced him turning down a four-year, $70 million offer was a good idea, Nerlens Noel is taking a bold chance on himself in 2017-18. Playing on a one-year, $4.1 million qualifying offer, Noel will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
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That means he has to deliver with the Dallas Mavericks this year, not only to prove his worth to them, but to the rest of the league as potential free agency suitors. As such, any type of setback would be devastating for a player who’s already perceived as fragile.
To be fair, Noel is only 23 years old and still has Defensive Player of the Year potential. Though he only put up 8.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 1.0 steals per game in his 22 appearances with the Mavs last year, it was only two years ago that he averaged an impressive 11.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks per game with the Sixers.
Unfortunately, injuries held him out for 20 games that season, and between Philly and Dallas last year, he still only suited up for 51 games. He’s dealt with a torn left ACL that caused him to miss his entire rookie season, right knee tendinitis and more left knee problems so far in his young career.
That’s worrisome for any seven-footer, let alone such an offensively limited one. If Noel is unable to prove himself as a franchise center and defensive anchor in 2017-18, he may regret not taking that $70 million offer from the Mavs when it was on the table.
1. Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid has a higher ceiling than any player on this list. Not only is he a future ambassador for the league, but he’s also the centerpiece of a franchise’s entire rebuild, with the validity of “Trusting the Process” sitting squarely on his shoulders.
From the moment the pre-draft comparisons to Hakeem Olajuwon began, there was always going to be pressure on Embiid, but now that it’s finally starting to come together for the Philadelphia 76ers, it’s somehow even more intense now.
The reason? The unbelievably tantalizing display we saw in his long-awaited debut. Though he only suited up for 31 games, had he been able to stay healthy and sustain it, Embiid would’ve submitted the greatest rookie season in NBA history, averaging 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.1 assists in just 25.4 minutes per game — all on .466/.367/.783 shooting splits.
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Now that Sixers fans have gotten their first taste of hope in half a decade, Embiid is firmly established as their best chance of returning to prominence. Even with Markelle Fultz and Ben Simmons entering the fold, there’s more pressure on Embiid to stay healthy so that everything finally starts to come together.
Even from a pure personnel standpoint, the expectations are sky high. Gone is a potential defensive anchor and perennial DPOY candidate in Nerlens Noel. All the Sixers have now is an underwhelming Jahlil Okafor (who the team’s been trying to move) and Richaun Holmes. If Embiid can’t stay on the court, this team not only loses its unicorn, but its only viable starting 5.
Throw in the fact that Embiid is a restricted free agent and suddenly the upcoming season is monumental for both the 76ers and The Process himself. He’s played a grand total of 31 games through three years in the NBA, and foot/knee injuries for a seven-footer are enough cause for concern without everything else that’s at stake.
This isn’t just about helping the Sixers win games; it’s also about proving that he’s not about to be the next Greg Oden. Entering what should’ve been his fourth NBA season, an injury-riddled 2017-18 campaign could be the difference between people giving up on his future as superstar and fully buying into it.
Next: 10 NBA players in need of a trade in 2017-18
From validating the martyr Sam Hinkie to providing hope for a zealot fanbase to leading the Sixers back to the playoffs by reassuring everyone he’ll stay healthy long enough to reach his bright future, no one has more riding on shedding the injury-prone label in 2017-18 than Joel Embiid.