In a major blow to the squad, 29-year-old playmaker Clarke will miss the tournament as she struggles with chronic knee injuries. The injury, which has derailed his entire career, has now earned him a reevaluation period of six weeks. This announcement coincides with the team continuing to shuffle its own roster and reloading for a difficult second half of the season.
Clarke’s 2023-24 snag still has two years and $25 million left. His absence bodes ill for the team’s prospects going forward, particularly in light of his outsize contributions a season ago. He played in a full 64 games. In those games, he averaged 8.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in just 18.9 minutes per game. His vision was instrumental in significant moments and that made him the ideal teammate.
Clarke ended up with a grade II posterior cruciate ligament sprain. This injury forced him to miss the final month of what would be that 2024-25 campaign. Thankfully, that injury did heal without needing surgery. His long history of lower-body injuries suddenly reappearing is concerning. This pattern not only affects Jackson’s short-term performance, but puts his long-term health and career in jeopardy.
The team’s medical staff will closely monitor Clarke’s recovery process during the next six weeks. Only time will tell how this long-due absence will spill over into the team’s all-around focus and execution. For now, though, Jackson and Edey are increasing the intensity of their workouts. They’re well poised to step into the breach left by Clarke.
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