The Portland Trail Blazers go into next season fully confident that they can make some serious noise, despite a much-improved Western Conference. Portland has finished in the top three each of the past two seasons and improved again this offseason with the addition of Hassan Whiteside and Jusuf Nurkic’ eventual return from injury.
The Blazers’ frontcourt will be much improved next year, and not only thanks to Whiteside. In last season’s playoffs, we saw center Zach Collins make a considerable impact with Nurkic sidelined, and he could be primed for a big year in 2019. However, he will first have to overcome the injury bug, as according to NBC Sports Northwest, Collins sustained a grade 2 ankle sprain and tore a ligament in the process.
Portland Trail Blazer center-forward Zach Collins is recovering at his home in Las Vegas after sustaining a grade 2 sprain in his right ankle during a workout. Collins suffered the sprain and a torn ligament during a workout a couple of weeks ago, as confirmed by the Trail Blazers Wednesday.
The injury did not require surgery.
He has been on crutches and in a walking boot but is expected to be ready to play by the opening of the team’s training camp. He is scheduled to return to Portland next week.
Luckily for the Blazers, Collins’ injury doesn’t seem to be serious, and no surgery was required. It’s also extremely encouraging that the 7-foot Gonzaga product is expected to be good to go for training camp.
Collins had a decent regular season last year but was a difference-maker for the Blazers in the playoffs with Jusuf Nurkic sidelined. Now heading into his third season, Collins will look to benefit from a larger role, but must first get fully healthy as the offseason begins to wind down.
