NBA Injury Analysis: Masked Man

The NBA season is upon us and some familiar names are already spending time in the athletic training room. Let's take a look around the league at the injuries that will impact the inaugural week of the season.

Derrick Rose
The 2011 MVP is once again nursing an injury though this time his problematic knees are not involved. Rose suffered an orbital fracture in Chicago's first practice of the season and has spent the last few weeks recovering from the subsequent surgery. Injuries of this magnitude are common in the NBA with players like Rajon Rondo, Victor Oladipo, and Mike Conley all suffering similar injuries over the past year. In the past 10 seasons, orbital fractures that require surgery have forced these and other NBA players to miss an average of 13.6 games or roughly three to four weeks. Rose was back 24 days after his injury, scoring eight points in 10 minutes of preseason action. He is expected to play in the Bulls' regular-season opener, though he will wear a mask to protect the area. Other players that have donned these types of masks often report an adjustment period to get used to wearing the gear. Couple that with time needed to get back into playing shape and it's safe to assume Rose's productivity might not be 100 percent for the first few weeks of the season. Play him while you can but scale back your initial expectations.

LeBron James
There was concern that James would be unable to play in the season opener after his troublesome back required an anti-inflammatory injection two weeks ago. However, he returned to practice over the weekend and plans on playing for Tuesday's game against the Bulls. James' back has been an issue since the 2006-07 season when he missed a game for back spasms. Since then, James has regularly battled stiffness and soreness in the area and missed eight games last year after opting for the same injection he just received. James remains one of the top fantasy weapons available but don't be surprised if he receives a few games off throughout the season as well as a minor reduction in minutes. The Cavaliers have admitted keeping the hometown hero as fresh as possible is a top priority entering the season.

Kobe Bryant and Jordan Clarkson
The Lakers also welcomed their MVP back over the weekend as Bryant completed a full practice Sunday. The 37-year-old guard had not played since suffering a lower-leg contusion on Oct. 13 in a preseason game against the Kings. Bryant is also working his way back from a torn rotator cuff, an injury that prematurely ended his 2014-15 season. The shortened season was Bryant's third straight that was ruined by a significant injury, as an Achilles rupture and a broken leg limited his availability in the previous two years. As a result, his inherent injury risk will remain high as he enters the 20th season of his career. Fantasy owners will have to determine if the value he provides in points and assists is worth the risk and hit in field-goal efficiency.

Bryant's backcourt mate is also expected to play despite suffering an apparent shoulder subluxation in a preseason contest against the Warriors. Clarkson reported a sharp pain in his shoulder and Lakers athletic trainer Gary Vitti relayed to head coach Byron Scott that the joint "popped out." Fortunately, an MRI did not reveal any significant structural damage. However, when a joint is forced out of alignment, even if temporarily, the surrounding ligaments and musculature are affected as evident by Clarkson's admittance that he's still experiencing soreness related to two strained shoulder muscles. The issue will likely negatively affect his shot in the short-term and his efficiency early in the season could dip. He's a nice up-and-coming talent but is a borderline top-100 player for fantasy purposes.

Wesley Matthews, Chandler Parsons and Deron Williams
The success of the Mavericks this season hinges largely on the health of its backcourt. Williams was brought in to lead the offensive attack, though strains to both calves have limited his time. The former All-Star guard participated in just one preseason game but should be available for opening night.

Matthews, the would-be starter alongside Williams, was expected to miss the early weeks of the season while recovering from a torn Achilles suffered last March. However, Matthews made a surprise return in the Mavericks' preseason finale and has an outside chance to play Wednesday against the Suns. Expect the team to limit his minutes to start and potentially rest the 29-year-old on the second night of back-to-backs. Achilles' tendon ruptures have often been career-altering injuries, though Matthews' age and style of play put him in a better position than those that have suffered the injury before him. He's worth a stash depending on the draft price but the early return on Matthews has been encouraging.

Parsons enters his second season in Dallas coming off offseason knee surgery. The procedure was necessary to address a cartilage injury suffered late last season and was described as a "hybrid" microfracture procedure. While microfracture surgery has gained infamy in basketball circles, it's important to remember that not all microfracture surgeries are the same. The term "microfracture" simply describes the method utilized and the severity of the injury and the length of recovery are largely dependent on the location in which it is needed. Parsons' surgery appears to have occurred in a favorable spot and the team proactively opted to use a bone marrow transplant from his right hip to stimulate the healing process. As a result, Parsons is expected to return relatively soon, though he just completed his first full practice. Look for the Mavericks to work him back into the mix slowly over the next few weeks, and fantasy owners should consider other options until he's a full 100 percent.

Turf Burns

Arron Afflalo
The Knicks' new shooting guard is expected to miss two weeks after aggravating his previously strained left hamstring. The 30-year-old veteran is looking to re-establish himself after he struggled following a midseason trade to Portland. Hamstring injuries are notoriously fickle and Afflalo simply can't be trusted at the moment. Sasha Vujacic appears to have an inside track on the vacant starting position though Langston Galloway could also be an option.

Robert Covington
The Sixers remain a team in transition though Covington has earned the favor of fantasy owners. Unfortunately, he's likely to miss the first two weeks of the season after spraining the medial collateral ligament ((MCL) in his right knee. He also suffered a bone contusion, an injury that could complicate his recovery. As a result, I wouldn't be surprised if this stretched out to at least three weeks, and other options should be explored.

Tyreke Evans
The Pelicans, already beset by injuries, will be without Evans after he underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee. New Orleans estimates he will miss six to eight weeks. The surgery itself doesn't worry me as much as the fact that this is Evans' third such operation since the 2014 offseason. Clearly his right knee is a significant issue and it's hard to put much confidence in his long-term availability. Let someone else deal with that headache, even if Evans did put up career numbers last season.

Elfrid Payton
The second-year guard is a major question mark for the Magic as he continues to be limited by a sore right hamstring. As previously mentioned with Afflalo, hamstring injuries are difficult to gauge, particularly so for speedy players like Payton. Bench him for the immediate future.