DETROIT — Injuries have plagued the Detroit Pistons’ roster pretty much since the start of the season.
While some players have already returned from short absences, names continue popping up on the injury report each week, most recently second-year forward Bobi Klintman.
He showed up on the injury report for the first time on Sunday, listed as out for the Pistons’ (11-2) matchup against the Indiana Pacers (1-12) on Monday with a left ankle sprain.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said before the game it’s too soon to project his outlook for return at this point.
“We’ll see,” Bickerstaff said. “It’s too early to tell the time frame, but I think it’s going to be a little bit of time for him.”
Klintman, 22, was seen in a boot during shoot around Monday morning, but was still doing upper-body work.
The 37th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Klintman’s already seen more of the court in the first few weeks of the season than he did as a rookie.
While getting reps with the G League Motor City Cruise last season, he appeared in just eight games for the Pistons for a total of 42 minutes on the court.
This season, thanks in part to the plethora of injuries to the roster, Klintman has already played six games and 53 total minutes. He’s averaging 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds per game in his role off the bench.
He hasn’t been a frequent contributor for the Pistons to this point in the season, but it is a hit to the depth of a team that’s willed its way to nine straight wins despite missing as many as seven players for a game.
Forward Tobias Harris and guards Jaden Ivey and Marcus Sasser remain out for the Pistons, while starters Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson are trending in the right direction as questionable for Monday’s game and center Jalen Duren probable to suit up for the first time in a week.
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