Portland Trail Blazers center Duop Reath will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season after undergoing surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes. That's an unfortunate development, and it could make Reath the odd man out in Portland. Reath was already at risk of being cut or traded after falling out of Tiago Splitter's rotation, but this injury very well could seal his fate.
If that is the case, Reath's last game in Portland came on Jan. 18 against the Sacramento Kings, finishing with just one rebound and one assist in 12 minutes.
Duop Reath's injury could seal his fate in Portland
Reath still had some value as a stretch five in limited stretches for Portland. He was shooting a career-high 41.8% from deep this season prior to the injury. However, Portland has two players on two-way deals -- Caleb Love and Sidy Cissoko -- who are making compelling cases to have their contracts converted to standard contracts. Both players are approaching the 50-game limit, which has to be factored into any decision Portland makes leading up to the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Their 15-man roster is already full, and moving on from Reath to clear a spot sadly makes perfect sense.
With his $2.2 million contract set to expire after this season, his departure felt inevitable, though the injury could accelerate that timeline. The Blazers are expected to be active at the trade deadline, and at this point, it could make sense to include a cash or second-round pick to incentivize a team to take on an injured Reath in a potential package.
Hopefully, he's able to recover from this setback to prolong his NBA career. He had one of the most unlikely journeys in the NBA, and the fact that he made it to this point is remarkable in itself. For what it's worth, Reath's career NBA earnings sit at $6.2 million, so he should be just fine regardless of what happens in the coming weeks. It's possible he falls out of the NBA, but the Australian NBL could also present a viable path.
If there's any silver lining to this brutal injury for Portland, it's that they're finally getting healthier elsewhere. Scoot Henderson and Blake Wesley are both in the final stage of rehabilitation. They're finally getting much-needed backcourt depth, even as they lose a piece in the frontcourt -- potentially for good.