As the lone known-quantity addition to the Raptors for the 2016-17 season, it’s been hard to watch Jared Sullinger sit on the bench for most of the pre-season. After playing 23 minutes against the Warriors in Toronto’s first (non-real) game, Sully has been conspicuously absent from the court.
The official line has been a sore foot, with the rest left to mystery. Today, Sullinger provided an update as to his condition.
According to a trip of our city’s intrepid Raptors beat reporters:
Sullinger says someone stepped on his foot. Getting better but important not to let it become nagging injury. Could play soon.
— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) October 17, 2016
Sullinger said his foot got stepped on in preseason opener, has been held out as a precaution since, confident he could play if gms counted
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) October 17, 2016
Sullinger says foot injury happened when foot was stepped on vs. Warriors. Would "probably" play if regular season.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) October 17, 2016
This is an important distinction to make. From the sounds of it, the injury to Sullinger’s foot is not super serious, but since this is the pre-season, better to rest him just in case. The worst case scenario here, as noted by Woz, is a nagging injury that dogs Sully for the rest of the season. The Raptors — thin at power forward/centre as it is — need him healthy.
And lest you think Sully has just been sitting around. Blake “MLB player lookalike” Murphy had this additional note:
He's noncommittal on playing in final two exhibitions. He's focusing on conditioning and asking a lot of questions to get up to speed.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) October 17, 2016
So even when Sullinger isn’t, you know, physically working... he’s still working.
To which I add: I hear you, brother.