On Tuesday night, the Detroit Pistons lost preseason game No. 3 to the Oklahoma City Thunder but they also lost F Marvin Bagley III along the way.
During the first minute of the game, Bagley III slipped on the court and suffered a non-contact knee injury, that caused him to miss the remainder of the game.
Here is a video of the freak injury.
How long will Marvin Bagley III be out?
According to Omari Sankofa of the Detroit Free Press, Marvin Bagley III suffered a sprained MCL and a bone bruise on Tuesday night and he will miss the start of the Detroit Pistons 2022-23 season.
Sankofa added that Bagley III will not need surgery but he will miss the start of the season, which begins on October 19 against the Orlando Magic.
The Pistons have not yet given a timetable as to when he will return to action.
Bagley III is expected to have a big role on the Pistons in 2022-23
The Pistons originally acquired Bagley III as part of a trade deadline deal this past season, and he came in and made an immediate impact, averaging 14.6 points and 6.8 rebounds in 18 games.
During the offseason, the Pistons rewarded him with a 3-year, $37.5 million deal with the expectation that he would play a big role during the upcoming season.
With Bagley III out to start the season, you can expect rookie Jalen Duren to get some extra minutes to start off his NBA career.
Dwane Casey loves him some Jalen Duren
Prior to the start of the preseason, Pistons head coach Dwane Casey said Jalen Duren is going to be a “jewel” for the city of Detroit for a long time.
“He’s young but very talented,” Casey said. “Love him. He’s going to be a jewel for this city for a long time, and his athleticism, growing into the game. To his lucky star, he has Isaiah Stewart to go against every day, Marvin Bagley, watching those guys, going against those guys in practice will help him grow tremendously. Really excited about the two young guys we brought in. Just getting those guys minutes and growth and those types of things is going to be important.”
Via Omari Sankofa – Detroit Free Press
Though it is a big-time bummer that Bagley III will not be able to start the season, it may be a blessing in disguise as Duren will get some valuable learning experiences right off the bat.
