Portland Trail Blazers vs Minnesota Timberwolves: preview and player stats (Nov 16, 2026)

Head coach Micah Nori said Morant met with a doctor in Los Angeles, who gave him a positive outlook on his recovery from the hamstring injury. While Nori declined to update Morant's timetable, he added Morant "may not be out for as long as we thought," Trail Blazers Insider Sean Highkin reports. Morant was initially given a four-week timetable after he suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain on Oct. 30. It sounds like he's making solid progress, though it would be surprising to see him beat that timetable given the tricky nature of hamstring injuries. Scoot Henderson will continue to start in his absence and there will be more minutes available for Jrue Holiday.

Sharpe suffered a torn meniscus in his knee and is expected to miss six months, per Shams Charania of ESPN. It's a tough blow to the Trail Blazers' depth on the wing ahead of training camp. Sharpe, who is now likely to be sidelined until after the All-Star break, had been ticketed for a reserve role behind Toumani Camara following an injury-plagued 2025-26 campaign, which saw average a career-high 20.8 points, 1.4 steals and 2.1 three-pointers per game over 50 regular-season appearances. The door is now open for Vit Krejci and Jeremy Sochan to compete for bench minutes during camp.

Krejci underwent surgery on his fractured left ankle Wednesday and will be re-evaluated in eight weeks, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.com reports. Krejci suffered the ankle injury in last Wednesday's win over the Suns and is set to miss an extended period after undergoing surgery. With the 26-year-old and Ja Morant (hamstring) both on the shelf, Jrue Holiday and Sidy Cissoko should continue seeing increased minutes.

Youngblood (foot) is out for Friday's game against Sacramento. Youngblood is in line for a second straight absence due to a bone bruise in his right foot. His next opportunity to run the floor will arrive Monday in Minnesota.

DiVincenzo (Achilles) remains confident that he'll return during the 2026-27 season, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reports. DiVincenzo is approaching six months since tearing his right Achilles during the first round of the playoffs and has been rehabbing with the expectation that he'll play at some point this season. The veteran guard has sought advice from Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard during his recovery, though Minnesota has yet to establish a timetable for his return.

Edwards underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure on his right knee Thursday, the Timberwolves announced. Edwards underwent debridement surgery in Minnesota, though the team did not provide a timetable for his return. The star guard is expected to make a full recovery, with additional updates coming as he progresses through rehabilitation. Based on previous reporting from ESPN's Shams Charania, Edwards could miss up to two months. Edwards was off to a scorching start this season, averaging 33.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals across four appearances.

Clark (hamstring) has been ruled out for the remainder of Saturday's game against the Bulls, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News reports. Clark tweaked his right hamstring and will not return to tonight's contest. He played three minutes off the bench prior to his exit, leaving more opportunities available for Terrence Shannon Jr. and Bones Hyland.