The NBA publishes injury reports every 15 minutes.
It may seem excessive, but that provides the very latest updates to be processed, as teams file them to the league office.
As of the one that went live Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 5 p.m. ET — about two hours before the day’s games tipped off — a staggering 108 players appeared on the list with either injury or illness designations.
Considering that each team is allowed 15 players to be carried on an active roster, that injury report means that 7.2 full teams could be constructed from the banged up players.
The 2026-27 NBA regular season is but a week old, and yet it seems almost like each squad is already contending with some serious injury issue. Some, however, like Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams breaking and dislocating his ankle, are far more serious than others. So, naturally, some teams will be in a better position to deal with them.
Here’s a look at which teams can weather these new injury issues, from most to least capable.
It helps that it’s just one key injury, a right hamstring strain All-Star center Jalen Duren is dealing with, and it also helps that his backup, Paul Reed, is plenty serviceable. In the three games Reed has been forced into extended action (two of which were starts), he has been excellent on both ends. Reed is averaging 16.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game over his last three. Reed isn’t quite the rim protector Duren is, but he’s more than adequate there. Detroit should be just fine.
Had they not acquired LaMelo Ball this offseason, they would be further down the list. But Ball and backup guard Ayo Dosunmu should at least help the Timberwolves maintain a competitive and productive offense while star Anthony Edwards recovers from his arthroscopic procedure. But there’s no replacing Edwards, who is the best two-guard in the world.
The good news for the Magic is that Paolo Banchero’s high ankle sprain is considered a low grade one, and he shouldn’t miss much time. But Orlando will also be without Jalen Suggs (right knee contusion/bone bruise) for some time. The Magic have had awful injury luck the past two-and-a-half seasons, particularly to their stars. And as rookie coach Sean Sweeney looks to revamp this offense, at some point, he needs continuity and his stars to be available.
The thing about Kawhi Leonard’s knee swelling is that it’s unclear how much time he’ll miss. That does leave the door open that it can clear with some moderate rest. But the other thing about his knee swelling is that knee issues have been a recurring problem for Leonard throughout his career. Now 35, Leonard is expected to be out at least one week, though possibly more. Without him, the Raptors lose a bit of their identity, as Leonard is a dominant two-way player; in just two games, he already totaled 7 steals. In their first game without him, a 23-point loss to Minnesota, the Raptors scored just 94 points.
Indiana Pacers
This is a little tricky to project because it’s unclear exactly how serious Tyrese Haliburton’s left hamstring issue is. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said the team would visit with a specialist, but hamstring injuries can linger. The concern here, though, is that Haliburton is the catalyst that maintains the Pacers offense. Without him last season, as he recovered from a ruptured Achilles tendon, the offense collapsed. Indiana has the talent and pieces to stay competitive in the East, but it will struggle to do that if Haliburton is forced to miss extended time.
Utah Jazz
This was a team already looking to incorporate new players, so time on the floor was paramount. Yet, Jaren Jackson Jr.'s right medial collateral ligament tear should force him out for six-to-eight weeks. Lauri Markkanen also suffered a wrist injury, though he appeared to avoid a long-term sprain. Utah already started the season 1-3 and does have Jaxson Hayes as a viable backup to Jackson, but Hayes is dealing with right shoulder soreness and Jusuf Nurkić should be out for an extended period. This Jazz team was going to need some time to come together. Now that project is delayed.
Oklahoma City Thunder
They’re the deepest team in the NBA and still have the reigning two-time Most Valuable Player in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, so the Thunder should still be competitive. But the issue for Oklahoma City is twofold: it’s already dealing with a rash of injuries and many of them are severe. The biggest blow is to star forward Jalen Williams, whose broken and dislocated ankle may end his season. Guard Cason Wallace is dealing with a torn labrum and will require surgery. Center Chet Holmgren has right knee patellar tendinitis. Those are three starters. Alex Caruso, a key backup guard, is also out with a right ankle sprain.
Thankfully for Oklahoma City, Ajay Mitchell’s sprained ankle doesn’t appear to be serious. But Williams is a key offensive engine when Gilgeous-Alexander is on the bench; Williams can handle the ball, create for himself and for others and has a dependable shot. Without him, much more pressure falls on Gilgeous-Alexander to carry the burden of playmaking. Holmgren also helps stretch the floor and is an elite defender. His issue should heal, though knee injuries do need to be treated with some caution, especially with so much season left. The Thunder are still one of the best teams in the league, but that’s quite a lot to manage.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Injuries are wrecking the NBA season already: Which teams can survive star absences?
