Nuggets Guard to Miss Multiple Weeks With Foot Injury

The Denver Nuggets will be without one of their two-way signees for the next few weeks.

According to a team announcement, Nuggets guard Tamar Bates has undergone left foot surgery that will sideline him for at least the next 12 weeks.

"Two-way guard Tamar Bates underwent surgery today to repair a Left Foot Fracture. Tamar will be re-evaluated in 12 weeks and updates will be provided when necessary."

Injury Update: Two-way guard Tamar Bates underwent surgery today to repair a Left Foot Fracture. Tamar will be re-evaluated in 12 weeks and updates will be provided when necessary. pic.twitter.com/r5TYt33S6t
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 22, 2025

While not as drastic of an absence for the Nuggets as their ongoing injuries dealt to key starters Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon, who have been out for the past several weeks, nonetheless, it's another name sidelined on their roster for an extended amount of time.

Nuggets Guard Tamar Bates Sidelined for Three Months

Bates was signed to the Nuggets earlier this summer as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri, where he spent two years after initially transferring from Indiana. In 133 collegiate games, he averaged 9.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists on just over 22 minutes a night.

Bates has primarily spent his time with the Nuggets' G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold to start this season, yet to log any playing time in the NBA after the first two months of his rookie campaign.

Sep 29, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets player Tamar Bates (7) and Curtis Jones (1) pose for a picture during media day at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

In 13 games with the Gold, he's put together 19.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on impressive 54.9% shooting from the field and 44.1% from three on over four attempts a game.

Yet, while it's been a hot start in the G for the Nuggets rookie, he'll now be forced to sit to the side for the coming months, eyeing a return in mid-March at the earliest; undoubtedly a tough blow that sucks the momentum out of his first-year campaign.

Now, the Nuggets will have just a pair of their two-way signees healthy for the extended future, one of those being Denver's defensive standout forward Spencer Jones, who's emerged as a nightly starter amid lingering injuries, as well as Curtis Jones, who, like Bates, has spent a majority of his time with the Gold thus far, leading their roster in scoring at 22.3 points per game.

Nuggets Guard Tamar Bates Sidelined for Three Months

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