Biggest injury returns for the 2025-26 NBA season

We’re a week away from opening tipoff for the 2025-26 NBA season with a few familiar faces and some new ones ready to take the court starting Oct. 21.

Victor Wembanyama will be back and healthy to start the season after being shut down last February because of a blood clot in his right shoulder. And Zion Williamson will be back after playing in only 30 games last season for the New Orleans Pelicans because of various injuries.

But you’ll have to wait to see a few notable superstars debut this season. Los Angeles Lakers front man LeBron James is expected to sit out three to four weeks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Plus, Kyrie Irving appears to be working his way back from his season-ending ACL tear last March.

Before we get caught up in the whirlwind of the regular season, our NBA insiders provide updates on the injury status of key players and break down who is primed to make a notable return during opening week and who to keep an eye on as the regular season progresses.

Ready for their return

Zion Williamson, F, New Orleans Pelicans

There was skinny Jokic. Then skinny Doncic dazzled on the cover of Men’s Health. Now it’s skinny Zion who has many buzzing about the Pelicans this season, as he appears to be in his best shape since looking like a once-in-a-generation prospect at Duke. Williamson credits Daniel Bove, the Pelicans’ director of performance and sports science, for helping him transform his body through boxing and working out on a football field while rehabbing from a hamstring injury that plagued him all last season.

In six seasons in the league, Williamson has played 60 or more games only twice and was shut down last season in March after dealing with a bone bruise, having played only 30 games.

“I really felt a shift in my body to where I would look at [Bove] and say, ‘Dude, it feels good to feel good.’ I haven’t felt like this since college, high school, where I can walk into a gym, I feel good.” — Ohm Youngmisuk

Anthony Davis, F, Dallas Mavericks

Davis was fully cleared weeks before training camp, having recovered from offseason surgery to repair a detached retina in his right eye. He will spend the preseason getting used to the protective glasses he’ll have to wear the rest of his career, per doctor’s orders, as well as shedding the 15 extra pounds he carried into training camp. The 6-foot-10 Davis, now listed at 268 pounds, downplayed any worries about his weight, saying it’s normal for him to report to camp a little heavy. “I never want to come in at my playing weight, because then I lose weight during the season and then I’m too small,” Davis said. “I lose about 10 to 12 pounds very quickly. … So I’m never concerned about that. I feel great. I’m moving great. I feel good.” — Tim MacMahon

Kristaps Porzingis, C, Atlanta Hawks

Porzingis has a new home in Atlanta and the center, after dealing with a mysterious ailment that allowed him to play over 20 minutes in only one of his final six games with the Boston Celtics, says he’s feeling good again.

“Honestly, I still don’t have an exact answer,” Porzingis said at Hawks media day when asked about what was bothering him. “They had some sort of explanation for it, but it was lingering. That was the toughest part. Some days I was OK, energy was good and some days, boom, I had a crash. I’m glad it’s gone now.”

Porzingis played for the Latvia national team at EuroBasket this past summer and the center said the tournament helped him get back into shape for the upcoming season. The Hawks will need a healthy Porzingis to stretch the floor and provide a defensive presence at the rim for Trae Young and the Hawks to contend in the East.

“I don’t know, maybe it was just my system needed some reset during the summer,” Porzingis said. “I was really happy I had this summer, got in shape, played the tournament, I felt confident again like I have the gas tank again.” — Youngmisuk

LaMelo Ball, G, Charlotte Hornets

Ball spent time in the weight room this offseason to get stronger. After playing in a total of 105 games over the past three seasons combined because of injuries — most recently being shut down last season to have surgery on his ankle and wrist — Ball is determined to stay on the court.

So far this preseason, coach Charles Lee and Ball have talked about the star point guard stepping up and leading the Hornets more this season. Lee said he has seen his point guard show some of his leadership in the weight room by adding muscle.

“I’ve noticed a different commitment level in that area,” Lee said at Hornets media day. “Melo noticed that he is always drawing the best, most physical defender. At times, they made it difficult on him.

“So this year, adding that weight room piece for him was really important. … I think he has increased his lean muscle mass, he has increased his weight.” — Youngmisuk

Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs

Wembanyama was limited to 46 games last season because of right shoulder deep vein thrombosis. It motivated him to push himself physically and mentally this offseason in ways he has never experienced. He approached the offseason looking to try unconventional training methods, such as a 10-day retreat at a Shaolin temple in China, replete with meditation and kung fu training, and spent time working with Houston Rockets icon Hakeem Olajuwon.

Early returns look promising. He has bullied defenders in the preseason and swatted shots from all over the court. Wembanyama is fully healthy and has improved his body control, adding upper- and lower-body strength. And according to the 21-year-old, the chances for a recurrence of DVT are very low. — Michael C. Wright

Tyrese Maxey, G, Philadelphia 76ers

After sitting out the final few weeks of last season because of a finger injury — one of many maladies during a season that, even by 76ers standards, felt particularly cursed — Maxey is healthy and ready to go for the start of this season.

He played in the two exhibition games in Abu Dhabi last week and is on track to begin the season as the starting point guard. Given the number of other injuries Philadelphia is already dealing with, the fact that Maxey is ready to go will be music to the ears of coach Nick Nurse. — Tim Bontemps

Ja Morant, G, Memphis Grizzlies

Morant’s goal to “play 82,” as he stated at media day, is already in jeopardy. He’s considered week-to-week after spraining his left ankle during practice the day before the Grizzlies’ preseason opener. Morant’s acrobatic game makes durability an issue for the star guard. That’s why Morant, whose popularity is fueled by his high-flying highlights, declared last season that he is “not trying to dunk at all,” prioritizing protecting himself over entertaining fans. Since serving a 25-game suspension to start the 2023-24 season, Morant has played in only 59 games. He has been sidelined during that stretch by a variety of injuries — shoulder, hip, thigh, knee, back, foot, hamstring and ankle. — MacMahon

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Opening night in question

Jaren Jackson Jr., F, Memphis Grizzlies

Jackson’s availability for the Oct. 22 season opener is in doubt as he works his way back from an early July surgery to repair a turf toe injury in his right foot. The Grizzlies announced entering training camp that Jackson would be able to return to play in four to six weeks, putting the two-time All-Star’s timetable in late October or early November. The surgery occurred a couple of days after Jackson officially agreed to a five-year, $240 million contract extension, but the Grizzlies’ front office was aware of the severity of the injury when that deal was finalized. — MacMahon

LeBron James, F, Los Angeles Lakers

James will make history whenever he appears in his first game this season, becoming the only NBA player to have played 23 seasons. But for the first time in his career, James is injured before the season opener, ending his streak of playing in Game No. 1 for 22 straight years. James is dealing with sciatica down the right side of his body, according to the Lakers, and won’t be reevaluated for another two to three weeks and has been limited to light shooting in training camp thus far, sitting out every practice and preseason game.

James hinted at the injury — which was sustained sometime in late July or early August during an on-court workout, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania — during the team’s media day when he told ESPN, “I’m not where I want to be [physically].” James also said he would be sure to stay connected to the team while he rehabilitated. “My presence is going to be important,” James told ESPN. “Making sure that even if I’m not on the floor, I’m always in tune to what we’re doing — so I know what’s going on at all times.” — Dave McMenamin

Zach Edey, C, Memphis Grizzlies

Edey sit out at least the first two weeks of the season while recovering from offseason ankle surgery, according to the timetable the Grizzlies announced entering training camp. At the time, the team said that Edey could return to play in six to nine weeks. The longer end of that timetable would be the final weekend of November. Backup center Brandon Clarke also will sit out time to start the season while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, so the Grizzlies will have a glaring lack of depth in the frontcourt. Memphis will have to rely heavily on journeyman Jock Landale, an offseason addition who has averaged 12.8 minutes while playing for three teams in his four-year NBA career. — MacMahon

Jalen Williams, F, Oklahoma City Thunder

Williams initially suffered a fairly severe wrist injury — a torn scapholunate ligament — late in the regular season while grappling for a loose ball with Devin Booker in Phoenix. He played through it, estimating he needed nearly 30 painkilling shots during the Thunder’s run to the title. That delayed surgery until July 1, attached to a 12-week reevaluation clock, which expired right before training camp.

The team hasn’t officially ruled Williams in or out for the regular-season opener, but he hasn’t been in the contact portions of practice and has been spotted working only individually on the side, predominantly using his left hand. “Still got some ways to go with it,” Williams said at media day. — Anthony Slater

Jared McCain, G, Philadelphia 76ers

Last season, McCain was well on his way to winning the league’s Rookie of the Year award when he suffered a meniscus injury that cut things short after only 23 games last December — adding to the injury bug that plagued Philadelphia last season. But while McCain is fully healed from that injury, he tore a tendon in his right (shooting) thumb that required surgery last month, an issue that will cost him time at the start of the regular season.

Though the 76ers have plenty of guard depth, they also want to get McCain on the court with both Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick in the June draft. — Bontemps

De’Aaron Fox, G, San Antonio Spurs

Last March, Fox opted to undergo season-ending surgery to repair tendon damage in his left pinkie finger and recovered just fine from that setback, only to suffer a strained right hamstring during a summer workout that leaves in question his availability for San Antonio’s Oct. 22 season opener at Dallas. Fox acknowledged he would sit out the preseason while expressing doubt he’d be ready to play in the opener.

But internally, the team has been encouraged by Fox’s progress. It’s worth noting that San Antonio traditionally errs on the side of caution when bringing players back from injuries. It certainly helps that the roster features a glut of guards that includes last season’s NBA Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and No. 2 pick Dylan Harper. — Wright

Dejounte Murray, G, New Orleans Pelicans

Murray has spent six days a week in the training room, rehabbing and working his way back from a ruptured right Achilles tendon suffered at the end of January, and could be back this January.

The point guard is eager to return after his first season in New Orleans was limited to only 31 games, as he was also hampered by a broken hand. Murray averaged 17.5 points, 7.4 assists, 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals after coming in a trade from Atlanta.

“I’ve been having fun seeing the progression, knowing that day it all happened, I just couldn’t walk and couldn’t feel my calf. It was a challenge and I accepted it.” — Youngmisuk

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Until further notice

Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers

In a familiar feeling for the 76ers and their fans — most unfortunately — there is no bigger health question in the league than Embiid, and specifically his troublesome left knee. For more than a calendar year, it has been unclear when, or if, Embiid is going to be right again, and he reiterated that at media day last month.

“I’ve had so many injuries,” Embiid said. “The only thing I’ve always told myself is you can’t give up.”

Though both Embiid and the 76ers are not giving up on the superstar center returning to the dominant form that led to winning the league’s MVP award for the 2023 season, it remains unclear when he will be back on the court, be it at the start of the season or sometime after that. — Bontemps

Darius Garland, G, Cleveland Cavaliers

After his postseason was affected by a turf toe injury, Garland opted to have surgery in June, one that is likely to sideline him for the first few weeks of the regular season. Garland said at media day last week that his recovery is on schedule and that he’s running and doing on-court work. He remains out of participating with the team in practices to start the preseason, and isn’t expected to be ready to play in any exhibition games.

But Cleveland has made it clear that it isn’t going to rush Garland back — given the Cavaliers are hoping to be playing into June, and need Garland at 100% to do that. — Bontemps

Paul George, F, Philadelphia 76ers

George’s status for the start of the season remains unclear after it was announced he’d undergone an arthroscopic surgery after suffering an injury in an offseason workout — an ominous sign after only playing in half the games in his first season in 2024-25.

George, who has done some on-court work, said, “I do think I will be at a good place, hopefully earlier than later. Can’t get any worse than last year. That was a rock-bottom type of season.”

We’ll see if last season was, in fact, as bad as it can get, but the 76ers will be hoping George can be back either by opening night or soon thereafter. — Bontemps

Kyrie Irving, G, Dallas Mavericks

Coach Jason Kidd went out of his way to push back against the perception that Irving is “ahead of schedule” in his recovery from a torn ACL suffered in early March. But Irving’s progress is evident, and he hasn’t been shy about putting the proof on display with his post-practice work during media access periods.

Irving isn’t only taking spot-up jump shots. He’s working on his legendary isolation game, making one- and two-dribble moves against the defense of a team staffer. He often takes turns with No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg during these sessions, helping teach the 18-year-old rookie some tricks of the trade.

When will Irving join Flagg in game action? Irving, 33, doesn’t want to set a specific target date, preferring to pour himself into the daily grind. The Mavs would be happy to have Irving back in the mix around the All-Star break, which would give him about two months to chip off rust and ramp up before the postseason.— MacMahon

Lauri Markkanen, F, Utah Jazz

A variety of injuries, most notably a lower-back issue, limited Markkanen last season to a career-low 47 games. But he bounced back over the summer and looked healthy, leading Finland to the bronze medal game at EuroBasket with a 29-point performance that included 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in an upset win over Nikola Jokic and Serbia. Markkanen sustained a left wrist bruise during the tournament, which forced him out of preseason games and has limited him for a good portion of the team’s training camp. Markkanen said he’s rehabbing daily, feeling better, and making progress, but added he’s “not sure of what the exact date is when I’m gonna start” playing again. — Wright