Alas, for Portland Trail Blazers fans, Greg Oden may have company on the out-for-the-rest-of-the-year shelf. The Blazers announced today thatBrandon Roy is out indefinitely with sore knees.
The 26-year-old Roy had been a fan favorite up until this injury-riddled season and the face of a franchise that seemed not so long ago to be resurgent.
But even before todayâs news, all of that had already collapsed.
Royâs carping about the offense coupled with his five-year, max contract have been fodder for critics on sports talk radio and the web. His scoring average has dropped more than three points per game and the offense has often stagnated when a slowed Roy is in the lineup. As for the Blazers, theyâre 16-16 heading into tonightâs game against Utah and appear destined for years of .500 finishes that leave them either just missing the playoffs or making the postseason only to be easy first-round fodder. The Blazersâ 6-3 record this season without Roy is promising, but seems unsustainable over the long run with this lineup.
Hereâs the news release, followed by videos of Roy in happier times:
PORTLAND, Ore. â Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy will be sidelined indefinitely with sore knees, it was announced today by General Manager Rich Cho.
âUnfortunately, Brandon Royâs condition has not significantly improved and weâve decided to hold him out indefinitely,â said Cho. âIn the short term, weâre going to proceed with an extended period of rest. Beyond that, weâre looking at all available treatment options to help better determine a course of action.â
Roy, 26, has missed nine games this season (three games from Nov. 16-20 and the last six games beginning on Dec. 17) with a sore left knee.
A three-time NBA All-Star and 2007 NBA Rookie of the Year, Roy has led the team in scoring in each of the last three seasons. He holds career averages of 19.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.08 steals in 297 career games (295 starts).
In 23 games (all starts) this season, Roy has averaged 16.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.13 steals in 35.3 minutes per game. He scored 20 points or more in nine contests and led the team in scoring eight times.
Now, some happier videos
And this
WWeek 2015