Report: Nuggets' Will Barton's Leg Injury Diagnosed as Groin Strain

Denver Nuggets guard Will Barton has been diagnosed with a groin strain after undergoing an MRI Sunday, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

He was originally injured during Saturday's game against the Phoenix Suns and left on a stretcher. He said after the game that he heard a pop in his hip:

There is no current timetable for a return.

The guard has become an important offensive player for the Nuggets, scoring 14 points in 19 minutes before the injury Saturday after tallying 19 points in the first game. Staying on the court has been a bit of an issue for Barton, though, after topping 60 games just once in four seasons from 2013 to 2017.

The 27-year-old was able to stay healthy in 2017-18, and it resulted in the best season of his NBA career. He posted career highs of 15.7 points and 4.1 assists per game last year while also knocking down 37.0 percent of his outside shots.

Barton had always been a consistent offensive weapon when healthy, but he improved as a scorer and creator for a team that lacked a true point guard on the roster. This helped him earn a four-year deal in the offseason worth about $54 million.

The latest injury is a significant concern for the Nuggets, as they might have to spend time without one of their top perimeter players.

Malik Beasley could see more playing time in Denver's rotation with Barton unavailable.