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Trail Blazers' Zach Collins Out 4 Months After Having Surgery on Shoulder Injury
November 5, 2019
The Portland Trail Blazers announced Tuesday afternoon that forward Zach Collins has undergone successful shoulder surgery and estimated that he will miss at least four months.
Collins required surgery on his left labrum after dislocating his shoulder late in the fourth quarter of Portland's 121-119 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Oct. 27. The 21-year-old hasn't played since, and it was reported by OregonLive.com's Jamie Goldberg on Nov. 2 that Collins was set for surgery.
Prior to the injury, Collins was averaging nine points, four rebounds and two assists across three starts.
The Sacramento Kings drafted Collins with the 10th overall pick of the 2017 NBA draft. The Blazers had traded with the Kings in order to acquire Collins. Since debuting in 2017-18, the Gonzaga product has appeared in 146 games (four starts) and averaged 5.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists.
Collins was set to play a bigger role at center for Portland this season. Starting center Jusuf Nurkic is still recovering from a gruesome leg injury suffered in March. Additionally, Meyers Leonard was dealt to Miami as part of the four-team trade involving Jimmy Butler. In exchange, Portland received Hassan Whiteside.
Whiteside has been the starting center so far this season but had early injury concerns, too. A bone bruise in his left knee kept him out of Portland's 129-128 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday, Nov. 2. Behind Collins on the depth chart, veteran Pau Gasol has been ruled out indefinitely with a foot injury.
Without Collins moving forward, the Blazers need Whiteside to stay healthy.