Justin Patton: The good, the bad and the ugly
The ugly: Foot injury
Ahh, feet. The kryptonite of seven-footers. We’ve seen players such as Joel Embiid and Yao Ming have their careers altered by foot injuries.
Back in July, the Wolves announced he underwent successful surgery on the fifth metatarsal in his left foot. In other woods, he broke his left pinky toe.
It’s concerning that he suffered a serious injury before he could ever even step on the floor for the Timberwolves. It has already cost him valuable time in the gym and the experience of playing in the Las Vegas Summer League in July.
Taylor gave an update on the podcast I posted yesterday. Sounds like still a ways to go. But take a listen! Bjelica doing well.
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) September 20, 2017
As badly as I’m sure he wants to get back onto the court, it’s important for him, and the team, to be extremely patient with him. These type of injuries can linger and can come back when you least expect them.
It would be nice for Minnesota to have him on the roster this season, however, it’s not a necessity. He probably wouldn’t contribute very much to begin with and the long-term health is most important.
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When he does eventually return, the G- League might be a great place for him to kick off his career. It would allow him to slowly work his way back into game-shape and enjoy valuable minutes.