Trail Blazers starting center Deandre Ayton injured his left calf during a blowout loss to the Nuggets on Monday.
Further imaging has indicated that Ayton is dealing with a strained left calf, according to the Blazers, who announced in a press release that the seven-footer will miss at least the next four weeks. At that point, he is set to be reassessed.
The Arizona alum had been a critical component of the Trail Blazers’ midseason turnaround. Without him available, Portland will likely lean even more on impressive rookie lottery pick Donovan Clingan.
In 40 games overall this season, Ayton is averaging 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.8 steals.
During a recent 12-2 Trail Blazers stretch, the former No. 1 overall pick saw those numbers improve to 17.9 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.9 steals per game. He was also shooting 57.4% from the field during that run.
At 23-31, without Ayton for a month and now on a three-game losing streak, the 13th-seeded Blazers’ postseason hopes seem to be fading fast.
Ayton is currently Portland’s priciest player, earning $34MM this season. He has one year left on his four-season maximum-salary deal, worth $35.5MM in 2025/26.
Ayton’s recent play could go a long way towards rehabilitating his trade value across the league, though he has struggled with injuries throughout his career, having appeared in 58 or fewer games three times in the last five seasons prior to 2024/25.
Start the tank
Start?
I don’t think they were actively trying to lose like some teams. Otherwise they would’ve traded at least Grant and/or Simons
They’ve been actively trying to trade Grant and Simons for 2 years. Terrible contracts, nobody wants them.
Simons is a better contract than Grant, but the Blazers act like both are borderline all stars. There’s no untradeable contract. Do, I think they would’ve received much value? No, but getting of the contracts and getting some 2nds would have been the better move.
He was playing pretty well lately, the Suns definitely miss him
Just how and why do these professional athletes keep getting baby cows on to the fields of play in their respective sports when they always seem to incur a sprain?
It feels like I should be refuting this but I have no idea what it means
Never stopped you before.
Zing!
*At
This is code for “he’s not playing again this year.”
Easier to tank now.
Ayton’s trade value, under his existing max contract, isn’t going to be rehabilitated based on a good statistical stretch. He’s not the impact player a big needs to be a max guy, or close. But, being an expiring deal next year, will make him more tradable. Clingan is the future there in any event.