Nuggets’ Julian Strawther out at least six weeks with left knee sprain

Denver Nuggets wing Julian Strawther has been diagnosed with a left knee sprain following an MRI, the team announced. He will be reevaluated in six weeks, a timeline that points to November 27 at the earliest.

The injury occurred during Wednesday’s preseason game against the Clippers. Handling the ball with about 4:33 left in the third quarter, Strawther fell as he tried to navigate out of a double-team, and his left leg got caught underneath him and twisted awkwardly as he landed on it. The 24-year-old grimaced in pain and stayed down before checking out.

Head coach David Adelman said after the game it was disappointing to see a player who had been “working their ass off all summer” go down, adding, “All you can do is hope for the best,” according to reporter Katy Winge.

The 29th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Strawther has appeared in 172 regular-season games over his first three seasons with Denver, averaging 7.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16.2 minutes per game. He had been making a strong case for a rotation spot this fall, averaging 13.2 points on .463/.435/.833 shooting in just 18.4 minutes across four preseason outings. Strawther is eligible for a rookie scale extension through October 19, though he was not considered a strong candidate for a new deal even before the injury.