The start of the 2024–25 NBA season is still months away and the Denver Nuggets have already received a piece of unfortunate news.
First-round rookie draft pick DaRon Holmes II reportedly sustained a torn Achilles Friday in the team’s summer league opener against the Los Angeles Clippers, according to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania. As a result, he is expected to miss the entirety of the 2024–25 campaign.
Holmes, the 22nd pick in last month’s NBA draft, appeared to suffer the injury in the fourth quarter of Friday’s game while defending. After falling to the ground while attempting to block a shot, he got up favoring his right leg and hobbled to the bench. He did not return to the game and was later seen leaving the arena on crutches.
He finished the game with 11 points and seven rebounds in 26 minutes.
The injury to Holmes is a massive blow to the Nuggets who traded up to select the 6′ 9″ center out of Dayton. Holmes, who averaged 20.4 points and 8.5 rebounds in his third and final season with the Flyers, was expected to play a key role in Denver’s front-court rotation behind three-time MVP Nikola Jokić.
Now the Nuggets, who were bounced in last year’s Western Conference semifinals by the Minnesota Timberwolves, will have to look elsewhere for big man depth as they seek to return to the top of the NBA’s elite.