You’d think the NBA was deep into the season seeing the amount of players that will miss the start of the season with injury.
Honestly, this could be an epidemic.
Below is a list of the players (note* some rookies or lesser known players aren’t even listed here, so it could be even longer, if you can believe it):
🔸Jayson Tatum
🔸Damian Lillard
🔸LeBron James
🔸Jalen Williams
🔸Kyrie Irving
🔸Tyrese Haliburton
🔸Fred VanVleet
🔸Domantas Sabonis
🔸De’Aaron Fox
🔸Tyler Herro
🔸Jalen Green
🔸Darius Garland
🔸Dejounte Murray
🔸Coby White
🔸Jaden Ivey
🔸Jared McCain
🔸Keegan Murray
🔸Scoot Henderson
🔸Jeremy Sochan
🔸Zach Edey
🔸Moses Moody
🔸Max Strus
🔸De’Anthony Melton
🔸Dorian Finney-Smith
🔸TJ McConnell
🔸Ty Jerome
🔸Scotty Pippen Jr.
🔸Kevon Looney
🔸Nikola Topic
🔸Haywood Highsmith
🔸Georges Niang
🔸Bilal Coulibaly
One of the most worst omissions is LeBron James. The amount of viewers he draws for the game is immense. And not having him there on Opening Night just feels worng. The almost 41-year-old has played in all 22 Opening Nights his teams have been a part of.
It certainly take the sting out of Lakers vs. Warriors on Opening Night. No Steph Curry v LeBron is a tradedgy for all NBA fans. We just dont know how mnay more Steph v Bron matchups they’ll actually be.
Boston heading into the season without their star player Jayson Tatum will also sting. But will serve as a good test for Jaylen Brown.
Plenty of important role players at new teams will be missing, like Kevon Looney for the Pelicans. He has a left knee injury that is expected to sideline him for at least two to three weeks.
The Spurs will also be without De’Aaron Fox, who played five games for San Antonio after being signed there last season.
Fox sustained a hamstring injury over the offseason that required no procedure, but extensive rehabilitation.
“I feel good,” Fox told the media late last week. “I felt like I could’ve played a little bit ago, but they’re not letting me.”
READ MORE: ‘Annoyed’ Joe Lacob Breaks Silence on Jonathan Kuminga Contract Saga