Portland was leaning on Zach Collins this season, he moved into the starting lineup next to Hassan Whiteside to provide some floor spacing and more size up front. At least until whenever Jusuf Nurkic returns to the rotation.
However, three games into the season Collins went out with a dislocated shoulder. He will undergo surgery to repair that injured left shoulder, the team announced.
How long he will be out will be determined after the surgery.
There are generally two routes to go to rehab a dislocated shoulder: Surgery, or rest and physical therapy. While the latter way avoids surgery, once a shoulder (or any joint) is dislocated it is easier for it to pop out again, which eventually will lead to the operation. Collins just decided to go straight to getting it fixed under the knife.
Collins averaged nine points and four rebounds a game during the Blazers’ first three games.
Portland is hurting along the front line. Center Hassan Whiteside was out Saturday night against Philadelphia with a knee bone bruise, Pau Gasol still is recovering from off-season foot surgery, and Nurkic will be out until around the All-Star break recovering from a left leg fracture suffered last season.