Trail Blazers lose former No. 1 overall draft pick at the worst time

Per a team announcement, further imaging has indicated that the 7-footer has suffered a strained left calf and will miss at least the next four weeks. After that point, he is set to be reassessed.

The Arizona alum has been a critical component of the Trail Blazers’ midseason turnaround. Without him available, Portland will likely lean even more on impressive rookie lottery pick Donovan Clingan.

In 40 games overall this season, Ayton is averaging 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.8 steals.

During a recent 12-2 Trail Blazers stretch, Ayton saw those numbers improve to 17.9 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.9 steals. He was also shooting 57.4% from the field during that run.

At 23-31, sans Ayton for a month, and now on a three-game losing streak, No. 13-seeded Portland’s postseason hopes seem to be fading fast.

Ayton is currently the Trail Blazers’ priciest player, earning $34M this season. He has one year left on his current maximum deal, worth $35.5M in 2025-26. His recent play could go a long way towards rehabilitating his trade value across the league, but he has struggled with health now several times throughout his career. He has played 58 or fewer games three times in the last five seasons.