Denver Nuggets: 5 Injured Players’ Potential and Status

Vanderbilt looks to have a hip problem.

Ok, Jarred Vanderbilt‘s issue is his foot.  It’s been injured three times and he’s had two surgeries to repair his left foot.  Currently, Vanderbilt is working back from injury to his right foot.

You start to worry about the ‘C’ word with Porter and Vanderbilt.  Chronic might have made Dr. Dre a ton of money but it’s not what you want to think of when it comes to player injuries. SB Nation published a great article explaining MPJ’s back issues and the corrective surgeries that have been done.  There’s no such primer to explain Vanderbilt’s feet.

What we get from the tight-lipped Nuggets is that Jarred is “a ways away” from even practicing.

We’d really like to see what the 6’9″ Vanderbilt could bring alongside Plumlee and Porter, the comparisons we’ve heard are of a Dennis Rodman type who can score inside and outside.

What Stephen Curry and his Warriors hath wrought upon this league is, in our opinion, pure beauty.  Big men that can shoot and handle, a much more free-flowing game and a lot more room for athletic, smart players.  This is the NBA that Vanderbilt was drafted into and it’s tailor-made for his skills.

When the Nuggets walking-wounded and more long-term injured become available, the team that’s already occupying the top spot in the Western Conference is going to become scary.  Like compete for the O’brien trophy this year scary.  It may not yet be time but Denver has assembled an embarrassment of riches and their future looks white-hot.

For those among us that have always trusted the Nuggets process, this is sweet redemption.  It’s really hard to make a case that this team falls apart, particularly since they are unlikely to be hit harder by the injury gods.  They’re just going to keep getting better.

You know what, Nuggets fans?

We deserve it.

P.S. Props to the first person that figures out there’s six names on this list of five!