Nuggets set six-week re-evaluation for Strawther after left knee sprain

Julian Strawther will miss the start of Denver’s season after spraining his left knee during Wednesday’s preseason game against the Clippers. The Nuggets said Friday night that he will be re-evaluated in six weeks.

Denver has not announced a return date. The injury occurred October 14, when he fell in the third quarter at Intuit Dome.

The Nuggets’ announcement:

Strawther had been making a case for a larger role in Denver’s second unit. He scored in double figures in each of his first four preseason appearances and was shooting 43.5 percent from three before the injury, The Gazette’s Vinny Benedetto reported.

A shooting opportunity has to wait

Tim Hardaway Jr.’s departure for Miami had created room for Strawther in the rotation. Hardaway’s arrival the previous season helped push Strawther’s playing time down from 21.3 minutes per game in 2024-25 to 15.1 last season, Benedetto reported. This fall offered a chance to regain those minutes.

The fourth-year guard averaged 7.2 points and two rebounds in 57 games last season. He shot 46.7 percent from the field, a career best, and 38.7 percent from 3-point range.

Coach David Adelman had expected Strawther to contribute. Before Friday’s preseason finale against the Lakers, Adelman told Denver Sports that the Nuggets were going to rely on him, particularly on offense. The coach also said Strawther was in better spirits two days after the injury.

Denver has not used the six-week announcement to identify a permanent replacement or commit to a new second-unit rotation. Strawther’s absence leaves Adelman to distribute those minutes as the games begin to count.

The season starts before his next assessment

The Nuggets open Thursday, October 22, at Oklahoma City.

He is 24 and has played 172 regular-season games since Denver selected him 29th overall out of Gonzaga in 2023. Field Level Media reported career averages of 7.1 points and 1.8 rebounds, with 18 starts.

He is also eligible to sign a rookie-scale extension through Monday, Field Level Media reported. Friday’s announcement addressed his knee and the next evaluation; the team did not announce a contract decision alongside it.