Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler will undergo hip surgery and miss the remainder of the 2015-16 NBA season, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The injury is a crucial loss for the young Nuggets, who had been anticipating Chandler's return from a right hip strain.
Wilson Chandler to miss season due to hip surgery
The Nuggets forward will be sidelined for the entire 2015-16 season.
Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Chandler has been diagnosed with a labral tear and will require a six-month rehab process in order to make a complete recovery. The forward originally suffered the injury during the Nuggets’ preseason. Initially the diagnosis wasn’t as dire, but Chandler’s recovery didn’t progress as anticipated, and now the injury will cost him the season.
This is the second time that Chandler has suffered a labral tear in his career. The 28-year-old played just eight games during the 2011-12 season after suffering the injury to his left hip.
The Nuggets committed to Chandler over the summer with a four-year, $46 million contract, establishing the talented scorer as a key player on the wing for Denver entering this season. The year was expected to see some transition with point guard Emmanuel Mudiay ushering in a new era, but now that will have to happen without Chandler until the 2016-17 season.
The forward is "considered a vital part of coach Michael Malone and general manager Tim Connelly's revitalization efforts with the franchise," according to Wojnarowski. Last season, he averaged 13.9 points and 6.1 rebounds in 78 games, including 75 starts. Injuries have been an ongoing challenge for Chandler, however. He's only played all 82 games once in nine seasons. During the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons, he played a total of 51 games.
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