Branden Carlson has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Suns with a concussion, per the injury report issued Tuesday at 8:03 PM ET. The Trail Blazers open the 2026-27 season without their backup center, with an expected return listed for Oct. 23.
What happened
The Portland Trail Blazers listed Branden Carlson as out on the injury report released Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 8:03 PM ET. The detail is a concussion, head. Carlson had no prior status on this timeline, so this is the first entry for him. The report's comment reads: "Carlson (concussion) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Suns." The report lists an expected return of Oct. 23. No further detail on how or when the concussion occurred has been announced.
What it means for the Trail Blazers
Portland opens the 2026-27 season at home against the Suns on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 10:00 PM ET. The record is 0-0, so there is no with-or-without split to measure yet. Carlson, a 27-year-old center, gave the Blazers 5.8 points and 3.0 rebounds in 11.6 minutes across 42 games last season. Donovan Clingan, at 27.2 minutes a night, is the center who carries the frontcourt load, with Jerami Grant and Toumani Camara logging heavy minutes beside him. Portland is also thin elsewhere: Shaedon Sharpe and Chris Youngblood are out, while Deni Avdija and Micah Potter are day-to-day.
What to watch
The next injury report ahead of the Suns game will confirm whether anything changes on the rest of the roster, with Avdija and Potter still day-to-day. Carlson's expected return is listed as Oct. 23, so the first check is whether he clears for the next game after the opener. No timeline beyond that date has been announced.
Is Branden Carlson playing vs the Suns on Wednesday?
No. The injury report has ruled Carlson out for Wednesday's game against the Suns with a concussion.
When will Branden Carlson be back?
The injury report lists an expected return of Oct. 23. Nothing beyond that date has been announced.