Nuggets' Nurkic won't be ready for start of camp

The Denver Nuggets will be one very big body short for the start of training camp.

Injured center Jusuf Nurkic will not be ready to participate when camp opens next week, general manager Tim Connelly said Wednesday. Nurkic underwent surgery to repair a slight tear in his patella tendon in May, a procedure that was only expected to sideline him for three-to-four months. Instead, the near-300-pound Bosnian is reportedly aiming for a return early in the regular season.

"We're going to take our time with him," Connelly said, adding that Nurkic was "ahead of schedule" despite the initial timeline reported.

Missing the start of the season could make for a disappointing beginning to Nurkic's sophomore campaign, but it's difficult to fault patience with injuries, especially for a 21-year-old. He figures to be a major part of the Nuggets' new core, coming off an impressive rookie season during which he averaged 6.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 17.8 minutes.

For as long as he's absent, Nurkic's injury will mean more opportunity for Joffrey Lauvergne and Nikola Jokic at the back of the frontcourt rotation, and perhaps more time for Danilo Gallinari at power forward.