SAN FRANCISCO — Pistons forward Marvin Bagley III is expected to miss an extended amount of time due to a right-hand injury, according to a report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The fourth-year big man suffered an injury to his right hand during the first half of Monday's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. He left the game in the second quarter and did not return.
It is unclear how long Bagley will be unavailable, but Wojnarowski says Bagley is undergoing further evaluation to determine his next steps.
Bagley's latest injury marks the third instance this season in which he will miss games due to injury or illness. He missed the first 13 games of the season due to a MCL sprain and bone bruise in his right knee. More recently, he was sidelined for the Pistons' loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 26 and win over the Orlando Magic on Dec. 28 due to a non-COVID illness.
Bagley, who entered the year as a starter and was later moved to the second unit, is averaging 10.6 points and 5.9 rebounds in 25 games for the Pistons this season.
The injury is the latest blow to the Pistons' depth after losing Cade Cunningham for the year due to season-ending surgery to treat a stress fracture in his left shin.
The loss of Bagley could limit Detroit's ability to use a two-big lineup in their rotation for an extended amount of time, unless veteran center Nerlens Noel receives an opportunity to contribute.
While Bagley likely will be unavailable for the foreseeable future, the Pistons will get their starting point guard back when Killian Hayes returns from his three-game suspension on Wednesday in a rematch with the Golden State Warriors.
The Pistons will conclude their five-game road trip on Friday against the San Antonio Spurs.
