Doctor Barro’s Injury Report:

Having a medical background, I thought it might be helpful if periodically I’d review some of the more prominent injuries and how they may impact the players both in the short term (for DFS players) and long term (for those who still play in season long leagues).

Derrick Rose:

Bulls fans are well aware of the Rose’s injury issues this season. It started with turf toe and now he is dealing with back issues (possibly the toe as well). Both of these injuries are very concerning. Turf toe and back problems are injuries that have cost players seasons and careers (Deion Sanders, Carlos Boozer, Larry Bird and Donnie Baseball) and seldom can be fixed and not return later on. Rose commented on how he had not had back issues high school. Having a history of back issue is a huge red flag.

This week, Rose saw a back specialist and the Bulls were quick to comment that the MRI showed no structural damage. Which is good news because it means surgery is not necessary and his season is safe. However, it means there is nothing to correct and they can only hope it gets better on its own. Bird and Mattingly did not have structural issues and look how things turned out for them. The frustrating thing is what probably exacerbated Rose’s back injury is that he was compensating for his injured toe. Creating a cycle where one injury only makes the other harder to heal.

The biggest thing to consider for Rose in the short term is backs are part of the body’s core. Rose probably has not been able to do any or limited cardio workouts. Once his back is better, Rose probably will not be able to play 40+ minute nights for a few weeks and frankly they probably should not play him that long until the playoffs.

I would not trust Rose for the remainder of this year (esp at his high value) or even in season long drafts in the future. Either of these two injuries could flare up at any time and cost him minutes or even games. Sadly Roses’ promising career could be in jeopardy as quickly as it started.

Brook Lopez:

5th metatarsal fractures are difficult animal to deal with (trust me I’ve seen my share in my office). Lucky for Lopez the fracture he suffered did not involve a tendon attachment. Since Lopez had surgery, it’s pretty safe to say the risk of re-injury is slim. Typically these fractures take 6-8 weeks to heal followed by a period of rehab. Lopez suffered this injury late December and should be 100% when he returns this week. Allow for the typical few games to get his ‘court legs’ back and you should be able to trust him. My only concern long term is seven footers who have fractures in their feet tend to have multiple fractures over the course of their careers (See Yao Ming)

LaMarcus Aldridge:

Ankle sprains can be tricky. If you stay off them for a few weeks usually you’ll be close to 100% and pain free. The problem is it’s hard to convince a professional to rest when they know they can walk around close to pain free. Ankle sprains are more critical to players that need to make quick cuts and speed moves. LA is a versatile and agile forward and could be slowed down a little but I think he should still have half a step on most of his defenders. I think he’s still a good matchup play for now and should be fully trustworthy in a week or two.

I hope people will find these types of articles helpful. I will probably be putting together a similar article for baseball once spring training is in full swing. I will cover some of the more major injuries from last season (Ryan Howard, Wainwright, etc). If there is player you would like me to discuss either add a post to this blog or email me.