Ezeli to undergo season-ending surgery after cadaver donor reportedly found
Festus Ezeli's 2016-17 season is officially over, before it had a chance to begin.
The Portland Trail Blazers center, who has yet to appear in a game for the team that signed him to a two-year deal in the summer, will undergo season-ending surgery next week to repair his injured left knee, the Blazers announced Saturday.
Ezeli received a bone marrow aspirate injection in the knee in August, suffered a setback in his rehab in November, and seemingly hasn't recovered. There were reports from as far back as mid-December that he was likely to opt for surgery, but he was waiting for a cadaver donor, sources told ESPN's Chris Haynes. It's unclear what knee part Ezeli needs to have transplanted, but one source told Hayes the recovery process could take up to a year.
Whatever the case, the Blazers still had hopes of finding a trade partner for him before the deadline. They reportedly sought out teams below the salary floor to see if they had any interest in absorbing Ezeli's contract, but found no takers. Ezeli is making $7.4 million this season, but the second year of his deal is guaranteed for just $1 million, and the capped-out Blazers appear likely to waive him before the remaining $6.7 million becomes guaranteed June 30.
The 27-year-old has struggled with injuries his entire career, and has been sidelined for more games than he's played in since being drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 2012.
In 46 games with the Warriors last season, Ezeli averaged seven points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 16.7 minutes.