Portland Trail Blazers Lose Forward For Six Weeks

What was initially thought to be a minor hip strain, has now been diagnosed, after medical imaging, as "a mild femoral head impaction fracture" of the hip, and Portland Trail Blazers oft-injured forward Nassir Little is out once again for a significant period.

The @trailblazers announce that Nassir Little is out for six weeks after additional imaging taken on his right hip revieled a “mild femoral head impaction fracture.” The “femoral head” is the “ball” in the ball and socket joint in the hip.

— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) December 3, 2022

Nassir's promising season last year came to an end when he suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder in late January and a few months later underwent abdominal surgery on a core muscle injury. He has yet to play in more than 48 games in this, his 4th season in the league. 

Before last season's shoulder and core muscle issues, he'd missed time in his first two years with ankle, back, thumb, and knee injuries. 

The 22-year-old signed a four-year, $28M rookie scale extension before the season; that deal kicks in next year. He admits that part of the reason for taking such a team-friendly deal is for security and peace of mind, due to his inability to stay healthy for long stretches.

“I’m not gonna lie, I think my talent level is worth more than that,” Little said regarding his extension. “But with me having an injury history, and them still taking a chance on me, I want to be here. I’ll probably perform at a level that’s worth more than that, but being in Portland is what I want.”

Little was averaging 5.5 points in 15 minutes per game this season, while shooting 37.2% from long range. 

 Photo: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports