Trail Blazers big man Zach Collins is recovering from a right ankle injury sustained during an offseason workout, writes Dwight Jaynes of NBC Sports Northwest. Jaynes reports that Collins suffered a grade 2 ankle sprain, as well as a torn ligament.
According to Jaynes, the Trail Blazers confirmed that the injury – which did not require surgery – occurred a couple weeks ago. The team has been quiet about it to this point and doesn’t expect it to sideline Collins for training camp or the preseason, despite the fact that he has been on crutches and in a walking boot, per Jaynes.
As long as he’s healthy, Collins figures to be an important part of Portland’s rotation to start the 2019/20 season. Centers Enes Kanter and Meyers Leonard are no longer members of the Blazers, and Jusuf Nurkic isn’t expected to be ready to return from his leg injury to start the season. As such, Collins will be responsible for bringing some continuity to a new-look group of centers that also features Hassan Whiteside and Pau Gasol.
Collins, 21, will be entering his third NBA season, having averaged 6.6 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 77 games (17.6 MPG) in 2018/19. While his numbers as a pro have been modest, the Blazers still have high hopes for the former Gonzaga standout, who was the 10th overall pick in the 2017 draft.
They’re going to need him for major minutes and that will be new. 17mpg last year.
Let’s see if he can become a productive team-mate and stop the trash talking and cheap shots. It’s time to step up, he’s not a 17 minute sub anymore.