NBA star injury returns: Outside the Top 10
A few different categories of players do not make the cut for our top ten here. The first are stars who aren’t expected to return this season. Bradley Beal was unlikely to have much effect on the postseason anyways, but Kawhi Leonard would swing the Clippers from play-in to contenders. Alas, he almost certainly won’t be back this year. Damian Lillard likely rounds out this group as well.
Second, are those stars who should be back but play on teams outside of the playoffs. Gordon Hayward and the Charlotte Hornets are unlikely to make the playoff field, and Myles Turner, Jonathan Isaac, and Josh Giddey are varying levels of stars playing for lottery-bound teams.
Third, are players dealing with short-term injuries – out a couple of weeks. OG Anunoby of the Raptors is placed here, as are Brandon Ingram on the Pelicans, LaMarcus Aldridge of the Nets, Caris LeVert of the Cavaliers, and Cam Johnson of the Suns.
Finally, some role players on good teams don’t quite crack the list. Dillon Brooks will be essential for the Memphis Grizzlies in defending opposing wings, while James Wiseman could play rotation minutes immediately for the Warriors. Lonzo Ball just barely missed the cut as a key player for the Chicago Bulls expected back soon.
Without further ado, here are the ten NBA players returning from injury who are most important to the title picture.