Strawther is day-to-day with a left knee injury after exiting Wednesday's preseason game against the Clippers in the third quarter. His status puts him in question for Friday's preseason game at the Lakers.
What happened
Strawther, a 24-year-old guard, is day-to-day with a left knee injury, according to the Nuggets' injury report, updated Thursday at 12:46 a.m. ET. He exited to the locker room in the third quarter of Wednesday's preseason game against the Clippers, NBA writer Justin Russo reports. His status before this update is not announced. His expected return is listed as Oct. 16.
What it means for the Nuggets
Denver visits the Lakers on Friday at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, and Strawther's left knee issue puts his availability in question. Last season, he averaged 7.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 15.1 minutes over 57 games. The Nuggets' rotation includes Jamal Murray (35.4 minutes, 25.4 points), Nikola Jokic (34.8 minutes, 27.7 points), Christian Braun (31.8 minutes, 12.0 points), Cameron Johnson (30.5 minutes, 12.2 points), Peyton Watson (29.6 minutes, 14.6 points), Aaron Gordon (27.9 minutes, 16.2 points), Tim Hardaway Jr. (26.6 minutes, 13.5 points) and Bruce Brown (24.4 minutes, 7.9 points). Denver is 0-0 with no regular-season games played, so there is no record split with or without him.
What to watch
The Nuggets' next injury report will show whether Strawther's left knee has cleared him to play Friday against the Lakers. His expected return is listed as Oct. 16, the same day as that game. Denver continues its preseason schedule afterward as it finalizes its rotation ahead of the 2026-27 opener. The same report also lists DeMar DeRozan as day-to-day with a rest issue and Spencer Jones as day-to-day with a hamstring issue.
Is Julian Strawther playing at the Lakers on Friday?
He is day-to-day with a left knee injury, and his official status for Friday's game is not announced beyond day-to-day.
When will Julian Strawther be back?
His expected return is listed as Oct. 16, 2026, the date of Denver's game at the Lakers.