As the world's highest level basketball league, the NBA has top athletes, professional broadcast teams, perfect youth training system and mature business model, and high-level games cooperate with the league to follow the trend, creating fans' favorite traffic and hot news. Relying on this development model, the NBA's market value has soared in the past ten seasons, ranking first in the four major leagues in the United States.
As a basketball league with 500 registered players, the NBA, in order to maximize the benefits, has set the number of regular season games at 82 games (without special circumstances), and there are many back-to-back games in the five-month-long schedule, which greatly increases the probability of athletes being injured. Injuries such as ligament strains, Achilles tendon ruptures, and leg fractures have also made it impossible for many players to return to the field.
Take stock of the ten stars who have been forgotten by fans due to injuries:
10. Wiseman (Warriors)
Pre-injury stats: 11.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 51.9 percent shooting, 62.8 percent from free throws
In the 19-20 season, the Warriors were forced by a "Galaxy Battleship" to enter the ranks of the draft pick due to the reimbursement of Klay Thompson due to injury season, Durant joined the Nets, and Curry was injured for most of the season. Throughout the season, the Warriors only achieved a record of 15 wins and 50 losses, ranking first in the league, which allowed them to draw the lottery as they wished, and after Edwards was elected, the weak warriors on the inside finally chose James Wiseman, who was 2.13 meters tall.
Looking back at Wiseman's career, he played only three games for the University of Memphis, averaging 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3 blocks per game, and then signed an agent to prepare for the 2020 draft. After coming to the Warriors, Wiseman's poor defense and not very good ball quotient have always made it difficult for him to integrate into the team system, and even if Curry shows the level of a scoring champion, he still can't lead the youngster to win.
In April last year, Wiseman underwent a meniscal tear repair surgery on his right knee and has been injured for nearly a year, some time ago the Warriors management sent him to the development league to find game status, which indicates that Wiseman is about to return to the field next season. Since the inside line combination of Dream Green + Looney is too short, Wiseman's height and potential are the reasons why the Warriors chose to continue to cultivate him.
9. Kendrick Nunn (Lakers)
Pre-injury stats: 14.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 48.5% shooting, 38.1% three-point shooting
Last offseason, the Lakers through the trade to get Westbrook after the whole team salary space exploded, the pressure of luxury tax put the team in trouble, after signing veteran Anthony, Ariza, Howard and Ellington with the basic salary, the team will be the only middle-class contract (two years 10.25 million US dollars) to the previous heat to play well in Nunn, his good defensive ability and outside shooting is the main reason for the Lakers to match him.
Shortly after signing with the Lakers, Nunn fell into the problem of knee injuries, due to the knee injury delayed to meet expectations, resulting in Nunn's comeback time pushed back again and again, and the Lakers also fell out of the top eight in the West due to aging lineups, star injuries and other reasons, in the final sprint at the end of the season, a wave of eight consecutive, the Lakers lost completely out of the play-off competition. Seeing his home team in poor shape, Nunn dismissed plans for a comeback in the middle of the season.
After the Lakers missed the playoffs, Nunn immediately announced the implementation of next season's $5.25 million player option, because Munch (averaging 13.8 points per game) has been playing in the Lakers, Westbrook is difficult to be sent away, the returning Nunn is likely to be the Lakers' main bench point guard next season, the 2018 draft wants to get the next big contract, next season in Los Angeles must have a bright performance.
8. Rubio (Pacers)
Pre-injury stats: 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, shooting 36.3% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range.
In the summer of 2017, when the Timberwolves sent Rubio to the Jazz, the Spanish golden boy began a wandering journey, excellent big-picture view and extremely unreliable shooting made it difficult for him to stand on one team, and in the past five seasons, he has been trading chips for six teams. After joining the Cavaliers this season, Rubio had a tacit understanding with Allen and Mobley, successfully allowing the Cavaliers to rush to the final four of the East.
However, just as the Cavaliers were preparing to impact the playoffs, Rubio accidentally suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, and the season was reimbursed early. The Golden Boy's injury forced the Cavaliers management, who saw the dawn of the win, to make a reinforcement trade, using him as a chip with multiple draft picks to get Le Vere at the Pacers.
The deal didn't have an immediate effect, missing an organizational point guard, the Cleveland Cavaliers' two towers of power were reduced, and eventually lost to the Nets and Hawks in the playoffs, missing the playoffs.
Rubio, whose contract expires this summer, will be a free agent, and the home pacers and old club Cavaliers are very interested in the organizational point guard, and both sides have the intention of signing. The author believes that the cavaliers' overall lineup is more solid, especially the upper limit of the talent of the interior players, Rubio can maximize the power after joining, while the Pacers are still in the quagmire of reconstruction.
7. Joe Harris (Nets)
Pre-injury stats: 11.3 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist, shooting 45.2% from the field and 46.6% from three-point range.
To ask the team that has disappointed fans the most this season, the Nets with the Big Three are absolutely the first to bear the brunt, the Irving vaccine incident, Harden hamstring troubles, Durant is out of the team due to injury, and the three of them work together to send the team to the mire. As the team's fourth-place finisher, three-point scorer Joe Harris underwent two ankle arthroscopic surgeries after playing 14 games for the team, and was reimbursed early for the season.
Without the three-point shooting rate of nearly 50%, can hit 2.9 three-pointers per game, head coach Nash's offensive system is like a rusty machine, without Joha's three-point lubrication, the entire team's offense began to stagnate, the ball was also extremely unsmooth, the decline in record made Harden discouraged, and finally decided to join the Philadelphia 76ers, and the team was swept out by the Green Army in the playoffs.
According to the final news, Joe Harris is recovering well from his injury and is actively preparing for the training camp for the new season. When he officially returns to the team, he will find that his teammates have long been wrong, and harden, the league's three-time scoring champion, has become Simmons, who has the lowest free throw shooting rate in the playoffs, and this point guard who has a good overall view but is afraid of attack can make a spark with Joe Harris, let's wait and see!
6. Potter Jr. (Nuggets)
Pre-injury stats: 9.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, shooting 35.9% from the field and 20.8% from three-point range
Adjectives such as "it is difficult to support alone" and "it is difficult to fight with two fists" have helped Jokic achieve two consecutive MVP in the regular season, and Porter Jr. is one of the top salaried players sitting on the court. Last season, the college-plagued injury-plagued 2018 first-round No. 14 pick finally cashed in on the talent of "America's No. 1 high school student", averaging 19 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, shooting 44.5% from three-point range, and the Nuggets immediately renewed his contract with a five-year, $173 million top salary.
Compared with the bright performances of the same rookies Doncic, Trae Young and Alexander on the field, Porter Jr. cannot reach the qualification for the maximum salary renewal regardless of data or personal strength, and the reason why the team left this "glass man" once again confirms the sadness that the small ball city cannot attract stars and can only rely on the rise of new talents. As a 2.08-meter-tall player in the fourth position, Porter Jr. has poor interior protection ability and weak offensive ability to hold the ball, and is a player who completely relies on his touch to survive.
This season, Porter Jr. only played nine games for the team before undergoing lumbar spine surgery due to back nerve problems, although at the end of the season there were frequent news of his comeback, knowing that the Nuggets, who knew that there was no hope of winning the championship, did not choose to take risks and has been hiding him until now.
Considering that Porter Jr. has suffered two major injuries to his waist, the top salary contract premium given by the Nuggets is serious, if Jokic signs a 5-year 260 million U.S. dollar super contract with the home team this season, then the Nuggets' salary space for the next four years will be full, and I think that the combination of Murray + Porter Jr. + Jokic is not the best solution to win the championship.
5. Lonzo Bauer (Bull)
Pre-injury stats: 13 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.8 steals, 42.3% shooting percentage, 42.3% shooting from three points
Last summer, the Pelicans management, who decided to use Zion and Ingram as the rebuilding core, was unwilling to offer Ball a contract extension with an annual salary of more than $20 million, at which time the thirsty Bulls saw the ability of the "big ball" on the defensive and organizational ends, signed it for $80 million for four years, and he was accompanied by DeRozan and Caruso, and the Bulls completed the lineup upgrade in only one summer.
At the beginning of this season, the Bulls with the new combination of Ball + Lavin + DeRozan + Vucevic, the record is in the top three in the East, after Ball has been complained about by fans of the outside shooting, and now it has become a weapon to win. Before the injury, Ball averaged 3.1 three-pointers per game with more than 40% of the shooting, ranking in the top five in the league, "crooked shot" is no longer a derogatory term, and his backcourt combination with Caruso is also at the top level of the league.
After playing 35 games for the Bulls, Ball suffered a meniscus tear and was followed by arthroscopic surgery for a season reimbursement. According to the final injury report, Bauer still has obvious pain in his left knee, and the possibility of a second operation is not ruled out in the offseason this season, which is undoubtedly very bad news for the Bulls, the team does not have this backcourt brain, and in the later part of the season, it has gained the title of "bullying soft and afraid of hard", and Ball's importance to the Bulls is self-evident.
4. Simmons (Nets)
Pre-injury stats: 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 55.7 percent shooting, 61.3 percent free throw shooting
In last year's playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers Eastern Conference semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, just looking at the team lineup and star strength, the former has a significantly greater probability of qualifying, but Simmons, who carries a five-year $177 million top salary contract, has become a spoiler. Afraid to shoot and abandon offense, Simmons plunged the entire team into a quagmire, shooting 34.2 percent from free throws in 12 playoff games, the worst record in NBA history, and the 76ers were also unfortunately out of the game of seven.
Shortly after the season, team management, head coach Rivers and team core Embiid were all unhappy with Simmons' performance on the field, and the latter decided to "tear his face" with the team due to self-esteem setbacks. In the following offseason, Simmons did not participate in the team's daily training for personal health reasons, forcing the team to trade himself, and the Philadelphia management who wanted to win the championship sent the first round of the pick in the middle of the season, which led to a trade between Simmons and Harden to swap teams.
Coming to the "lifeless" Nets, Simmons, who has excellent defensive and assist skills, was used as a hope for the team's revival, but the latter always refused to participate in team training on the grounds of injury, and eventually the Nets, who lacked major generals, were swept out by the Green Army in the first round of the playoffs. Regarding the latest situation of Simmons' injury, not long ago, he personally announced that he had undergone a micro-discectomy and is expected to need to recuperate for 3-4 months, and the expectations of Nets fans for his comeback have been infinitely close to zero.
3. Zion (Pelicans)
Pre-injury stats: 27 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 61.1% shooting, 69.8% from the free throws
As the hottest player in the past five seasons, Zion, with a height of 1.98 meters, a weight of 130 kilograms, and a jump height of more than 110 centimeters, has repeatedly staged a highly visual impact of the flat frame buckle, and he has locked in the title when he was in college. Zion, who entered the NBA, was lucky enough to be selected in the All-Star starting lineup with less than 40% career attendance, showing fans his visible talent.
This season, Zion was reimbursed for a foot injury, and during a long period of recuperation, the Pelicans and the rebuilding Blazers completed a major lineup upgrade through a trade, getting mcCollum, Nance Jr. and other powerful players.
At the same time, Ingram's leadership temperament gradually revealed, not only leading the team into the playoffs, but also averaging 27 points, 6 rebounds and 6.2 assists in the series with the Suns, leading two valuable victories and establishing his team leader.
In this offseason, Zion, who has been away from the game for a long time, is eligible to sign a five-year, $186 million contract extension contract with the Pelicans, and considering his injury attributes, I think the Pelicans will most likely not renew Zion this summer. Even if he chooses to renew his contract, the Pelicans will not provide him with a full salary contract, there will be no player options, and the contract will inevitably stipulate the assessment content such as the battlefield sub-standard, just like the Philadelphia 76ers renewed Embiid in 2017.
2. Jamal Murray (Nuggets)
Pre-injury stats: 21.2 points, 4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 47.7% shooting, 40.8% three-point shooting
Last season, the Denver Nuggets finished 47-25, third in the West, and Jokic beat Embiid and Curry with a comprehensive statistic of 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game to lift the MVP trophy for the first time in his career. Just as the team was determined to win the championship, the main point guard Murray suffered a cruciate ligament rupture in his left knee at the end of the season, the season was reimbursed, the lack of a playoff point guard averaging 24.3 points per game, the Nuggets were swept by the sun in the Western Conference semifinals.
Murray's excellent ability to hold the ball is indispensable to the Nuggets, Jokic is the axis, Murray interspersed, Barton, Morris, Porter Jr. and Gordon look for scoring opportunities, which allows Coach Mike Malone to establish a system according to the lineup, and it is also the key to the team's winning rate of more than 60%. Now without Murray's restraint on the outside, the Nuggets' inner line has become crowded, barton, Morris and other breakthrough players have been greatly reduced, and the Nuggets can easily fall into offensive stagnation.
According to the Nuggets reporter, Murray's injury recovery is good, can already participate in the team's official training, and will return to the court next season with a 100% healing attitude. The starting lineup of Murray + Morris + Porter Jr. + Gordon + Jokic, the bench has Cousins, Barton, Jeff Green, Forbes sitting, this system is full of offensive talent, as long as they can ensure health, the Nuggets are still the favorite candidates for the championship.
1. Leonard (Clippers)
Pre-injury stats: 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 51.2% shooting, 39.8% three-point shooting
Last year's Western Conference semifinals Clippers vs. Jazz, Leonard accidentally collided with Ingles' knee during a breakthrough, and was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee after the game, and the season was reimbursed, and the data also stayed at averaging 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. Although the Clippers eventually passed the Jazz, they still lost 2-4 against the Suns, who had a more neat and balanced lineup.
After a year of recovery, Leonard has been infinitely close to a comeback, the new season of the Clippers' forward lineup is a bit outrageous: the average height of these seven players is more than two meters, the offensive and defensive stars are all at the top level of the league, in conjunction with Tyrone Lu's ranking, the new season of the Clippers let fans expect infinitely.
As the most balanced player at both ends of the league's attack and defense, Leonard's stable play like a "robot" will most likely break the three dominant patterns of the Suns, Warriors and Grizzlies formed in the West this season, on the strength of the stars, the depth of the team lineup, next season's Clippers are better than this season's regular season champion Sun, Leonard also has the opportunity to impact the first regular season MVP trophy of his career.
Finally, who are the 10 players most looking forward to returning to the game?