The Perth Wildcats are adopting a patient approach with injured import David Duke jnr, opting to give him every opportunity to recover from a significant elbow injury before considering signing a replacement player.
Injury Assessment and Recovery Timeline
Duke suffered the injury to his left arm during Sunday's NBL loss to the Adelaide 36ers, with his elbow bending awkwardly. While he avoided a dislocation, the joint was severely aggravated. The American guard was seen at training on Tuesday with his arm in a protective brace.
Wildcats head coach John Rillie stated that the full severity of the injury is not yet known. The club will reassess Duke's condition in approximately one week to gauge his recovery progress.
"It's one of those injuries where, in the immediate future, how he recovers will determine the severity," Rillie explained. "At this early stage, it's just about letting it settle down. How that settles over the next week to two weeks will really determine what the true outcome of it all is."
Club's Stance on a Potential Replacement
The Wildcats have 12 regular-season games remaining. If they are forced to replace Duke, any new import must play in at least eight matches to be eligible for finals. This deadline falls on January 22, ahead of their home game against the Cairns Taipans.
Rillie emphasised that the team's primary focus is on Duke's wellbeing, not immediately scouting for a new player. He praised Duke's contribution to the group and wants to handle the situation appropriately.
"With how David has come in and what he's done for our group, I want to make sure we take care of him first," Rillie said. "Let's really give it a chance to see where it is at and we'll go forward from there."
Team Adjustments for Upcoming Fixtures
Duke's absence was felt in the loss to Adelaide, where star guard Bryce Cotton shouldered a heavy load. The Wildcats now face a challenging road trip, heading to Queensland to play the Brisbane Bullets on Thursday before flying to New Zealand for a Sunday clash with the Breakers.
Rillie called for a collective effort to cover for the loss of Duke, pointing to a previous game against Tasmania where other players stepped up.
"There is more responsibility on Jaron, Pepper, Henshall, Sunday, Lat and those guys," Rillie noted. "It gives them great responsibility and ownership about what's going on with our team."
The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether David Duke can return to bolster the Wildcats' playoff push or if the club must enter the import market.
