OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - OCTOBER 25: Alex Caruso #9 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on while Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder is being tended to for an injury during the second half against the LA Clippers at Paycom Center on October 25, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)

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This usually marks the time when NBA teams still have hope about their playoff fortunes and optimism about their personnel. Only three weeks into the season, however, several NBA teams have already weathered significant injuries.

How ironic. The NBA will showcase another round of NBA Cup games on Friday, which marks the third year the league oversaw this in-season tournament in hopes to bolster both regular-season fan interest and player participation. Instead, nearly 60 NBA players have nursed injuries since October 1.

The Oklahoma City Thunder likely have season-ending injuries with guards Jalen Williams (dislocated left ankle, fractured fibula) and Cason Wallace (torn labrum in left shoulder). OKC center Chet Holmgren will sit out for the next seven to nine weeks with a small right patellar tendon tear.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards had an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee last week without a definitive timeline to his return. Once again, Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard nursed another injury (left knee) without any clarity on his return, either. Indiana Pacers guards Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnel, Detroit Pistons guard Jalen Duren, Pacers guard T.J. McConnell, Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel and Portland Trail Blazers guard Ja Morant have all suffered early-season hamstring injuries.

In fairness to the NBA, most of these early-season injuries represent the same number of injuries that have happened in previous years. The Thunder’s injuries, in particular, undoubtedly could hurt their championship fortunes.At least, NBA oddsmakers see it that way. Both those injuries happened in the heat of competition upon contact. For the past two years, however, outside doctors have told me that the varying soft-tissue injuries elicit serious concern and warrant significant changes.

Surprisingly, few call for the NBA to reduce its 82-game schedule. There are too many financial implications that would make it seemingly impossible for the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association to propose such an idea. That would dampen the bottom line among owners, players and even arena workers. But doctors aren’t just conceding that practical reality. Most are apathetic about the NBA tweaking the 82-game schedule because they don’t think it addresses the root of the problem.

So what is the problem? There are two.

One, NBA games play at a faster pace and covers more space because the game has evolved into prioritizing more outside shooting, more possessions. That requires players of all heights and sizes to sprint, stop and change directions on a moment’s notice. That also requires players to cover more ground because most are expected to shoot and defend from any distance. The NBA’s current game may lack the same physicality as previous generations endured. While modern technology has prolonged modern-day careers, the previous generation navigated a season much easier because of the slower tempo and refined on-court demands.

Two, the current generation of NBA players have overtrained because of early-age specialization and off-season regimens centered more on skill work than full-court scrimmaging. That skillwork is important in maximizing a player’s scoring, passing and defensive potential. But generally players have rested less than previous generations did in the offseason, which has prevented them from fully recovering from the previous season. The emphasis on skillwork has come at the expense of players participating in sanctioned scrimmaging.

How can the NBA address these issues?

Teams aren’t going to stop prioritizing 3s, devalue positional versatility or reduce spacing. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has proposed the possibility of reducing a game from 48 to 40 minutes. That may just reduce minutes for rotation players instead of stars. Instead, the NBA competition committee could pass rules that help reduce the frenetic pace. Some ideas could include increasing the shot clock or allowing more physicality beyond the perimeter to reduce both teams operating so swiftly in transition.

Both teams and private trainers have embraced the use of analytics and modern technology to ensure they are training players properly. But both parties could improve with ensuring players receive adequate off-season rest and enough ramp-up time to play in live-action scrimmaging before and during training camp. The NBA should also lengthen training camps so that teams have more time for players to build on-court rhythm. They reduced the number of preseason games in hopes to alleviate the scheduling crunch. But the NBA should at least ensure teams can practice more before the regular-season starts. By addressing this, the odds will increase substantially that players won’t experience as many soft-tissue injuries at the beginning of the season.

That will allow teams to maintain early-season optimism for beyond a month. That will give teams the best chance to feature their full roster for NBA Cup games, too.