This article is part of our NBA Injury Analysis series.
As players continue to rest and recuperate during the extended All-Star break, it's time for me to name the fifth annual NBA All-Scar Teams. Several familiar faces return after qualifying for this dubious distinction last season while improved health for players like Derrick Rose, Paul George and Kevin Durant keep them off a second straight All-Scar roster.
Western Conference All-Scar Team
Backcourt
As Bryant's farewell tour continues, fans hoping to catch a final glimpse of the soon-to-be-retired superstar have been routinely disappointed, as reoccurring soreness in his surgically repaired shoulder and Achilles have kept him out 10 games. Fantasy owners hoping Kobe will put together one more fantasy relevant season have been equally frustrated. The injuries, and wear and tear of more than 1,300 regular season games and nearly two and half season's worth of playoff games have taken their toll. The five-time champion is shooting a career-worst 34.9 percent from the field and has become too unpredictable to trust in most formats.
The Suns dynamic point guard saw his season end after 31 games played following the third knee injury of his career. Bledsoe underwent a season-ending meniscus repair on his left knee after twice needing surgery on the lateral meniscus in his right knee following two separate incidents in two previous seasons. The repair should help minimize the long-term risks associated with the injury but comes with a significantly longer recovery window following surgery.
Frontcourt
The Clippers forward makes his second
As players continue to rest and recuperate during the extended All-Star break, it's time for me to name the fifth annual NBA All-Scar Teams. Several familiar faces return after qualifying for this dubious distinction last season while improved health for players like Derrick Rose, Paul George and Kevin Durant keep them off a second straight All-Scar roster.
Western Conference All-Scar Team
Backcourt
As Bryant's farewell tour continues, fans hoping to catch a final glimpse of the soon-to-be-retired superstar have been routinely disappointed, as reoccurring soreness in his surgically repaired shoulder and Achilles have kept him out 10 games. Fantasy owners hoping Kobe will put together one more fantasy relevant season have been equally frustrated. The injuries, and wear and tear of more than 1,300 regular season games and nearly two and half season's worth of playoff games have taken their toll. The five-time champion is shooting a career-worst 34.9 percent from the field and has become too unpredictable to trust in most formats.
The Suns dynamic point guard saw his season end after 31 games played following the third knee injury of his career. Bledsoe underwent a season-ending meniscus repair on his left knee after twice needing surgery on the lateral meniscus in his right knee following two separate incidents in two previous seasons. The repair should help minimize the long-term risks associated with the injury but comes with a significantly longer recovery window following surgery.
Frontcourt
The Clippers forward makes his second straight All-Scar team after two significant injuries. Griffin missed 14 games following a partial tear of his left quadriceps tendon and was nearing a comeback when he broke the fourth metacarpal in his left hand. The spiral fracture needed multiple surgeries, and Griffin is expected to miss at least four more weeks recovering. Factor in an impeding four-game suspension as the result of the incident that caused the injury and Griffin owners might be without his services for more than half the season.
Jones was a preseason favorite to build on last year's success during which he finished the year as a top-75 fantasy contributor. However, injuries once again have limited Jones' value, starting with a concussion in the preseason. Furthermore, a cut on his right eyelid that required stitches cost him four games and prevented him from taking advantage of the absence of Donatas Motiejunas. He recently sustained another concussion, and trade rumors surrounding the Rockets make it difficult to determine his value for the remainder of the season.
The effects of Gasol's midfoot fracture are just starting to be felt, but its impact will likely alter the fates of multiple fantasy rosters. The initial timeline for Gasol has been estimated between four and six months, and limited information about the nature of the break makes it difficult to predict the long-term implications of the injury. Midfoot fractures are historically problematic for big men, and surgery appears to be a realistic treatment option.
Reserves
Harrison Barnes and Tyreke Evans
Barnes' 16-game absence following an ankle sprain didn't derail the Golden State juggernaut but did slow his hot start to the season. Barnes was averaging 13.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 made three-pointers per game before rolling his ankle. More impressively, he shot 50 percent from the field during that stretch, including 39 percent from behind the arc. His numbers have dipped a bit since rejoining the team, though a big second half could help make up for the lost games.
Injuries have been one of the primary contributing factors to New Orleans' disappointing 2015-16 campaign, and Evans' third knee surgery in the past nine months insures the issue will continue for the remainder of the season. Even worse, Evans' absence will place more pressure on Jrue Holiday, a player with injury concerns of his own.
Eastern Conference All-Scar Team
Backcourt
For the fourth consecutive season Beal has missed time with a stress-induced injury to his right fibula. The distal end was again the issue and kept Beal out 16 games, the most games he's missed due to injury since joining the league. Factor in the four additional games he missed with a shoulder contusion and a broken nose and Beal has been in street clothes for nearly half of Washington's games this year.
Brooklyn's veteran point guard was averaging a career-best 7.4 assists through the first 32 games of the season. However a torn ACL and medial meniscus in early January prematurely ended his season and could have a long-term effect on the 32-year old.
Kidd-Gilchrist suffered a traumatic shoulder dislocation in the preseason, and it was believed he would miss the entire season. However, his rehab went better than expected, and MKG returned ahead of schedule. He played in seven games and was posting career high numbers in shooting percentage, points per game and three-pointers made per game. Sadly, the modest success was short lived as he suffered another dislocation and labrum tear in his surgically repaired shoulder. He's once again been ruled out for the season, though this time there's little chance he'll return early.
Last season Carroll became a valuable fantasy commodity with his across the board contributions. His impressive season earned him a fat new contract with the Raptors and a shot to build on his breakout campaign. Sadly, a lingering knee issue that ultimately needed surgery has limited Carroll to just 23 games, and a possible return date remains weeks away.
After a knee issue torpedoed his value last season, Noah had thoughts of returning to top form in the 2015-16 season. However, Noah's body had other ideas, as he missed nine games with a sprained shoulder. His return lasted just four games as he reinjured the joint, this time dislocating the shoulder and tearing his labrum. The impending free agent underwent surgery in mid-January and may have very well played his final game in Chicago.
Reserves
Charlotte and Chicago earn the unfavorable distinction of being the only teams with multiple members on this year's All-Scar teams. Jefferson was sidelined early in the season by a strained calf and later tore the lateral meniscus in his problematic right knee. Now his place in the rotation is unclear, and what value he'll retain when he's cleared to return remains to be seen.
Like Gasol, the impact of Butler's injury has yet to be felt, though the All-Star forward is expected to miss at least three weeks with a left knee injury. In a recent All-Star media day interview, Butler revealed part of the problem involves the joint capsule of the knee. Insuring that this contributor to knee stability is 100 percent will be vital to reducing the odds of Butler suffering a more significant knee injury upon his return.
