No Surgery for Roy

[Darkwebs]

Jason Quick reports that Roy will not have surgery on either of his knees.

Because, before anyone gets too carried away with the second opinion of Dr. Neal ElAttrache, take a deep breath, swallow hard and realize the reason no surgery was recommended:

There's no meniscus left to operate on in Roy's left knee.

The Blazers and Roy have known his knee was grinding bone-on-bone for some time. And when it got to the point Tuesday that it caused so much swelling that Roy was rendered practically immobile against Detroit, Roy admitted he thought the worst:

Microfracture surgery. "There was a point I thought about it, but that's a difficult thing," Roy said. "Like, when do you do it? Because it's like a six-month thing. But the good thing about Dr. Roberts is, he has dealt with both of my knees, he knows them, and he came right in and said, 'I don't think that's what we are going to do.' He said he doesn't think microfracture would help it."

The plan is to have him on the medication for a month, during which Roy will play fewer minutes (he was held to the unofficial goal of 35 minutes on Friday) and practice less often.

Shortly before Christmas, the team will reassess the situation.

"In talking to (Dr. ElAttrache), I asked if it could get any worse," Roy said. "He said there's a chance, but he doesn't think so. But there's no curing it. He said there are players who have worked with it. You just have to take the medication and monitor it."

Jeez, this is kind of depressing. Roy will probably never be the same player. And microfracture might not even be an option that will help?

I don't know what to think. I guess you can look on the bright side: Roy probably can't do any further damage to his knees (but only because he has no cartilage left).

It'll be interesting to see what happens when they assess his knees again around Christmas time. Will Roy have to undergo MF? Or will he just play really limited minutes? I suppose the best outcome can be that Roy will be fine playing 30 or so minutes a game and maybe just won't have the same explosion in his movements on the court.

 

[Natebishop3]

I wonder why so many young guys are having knee problems at such an early age... does anyone remember these kinds of problems with players back in the 70s, 80s, etc? I'm wondering if there's a common denominator. Floor? Shoes? Training regimen? There's got to be a reason.

 

[Rodolfo]

Wish this was a 35 year old B Roy we were talking about

 

[THE HCP]

I wonder why so many young guys are having knee problems at such an early age... does anyone remember these kinds of problems with players back in the 70s, 80s, etc? I'm wondering if there's a common denominator. Floor? Shoes? Training regimen? There's got to be a reason.

I don't think players back then played on AAU teams from the time they are in 3rd grade like they do now. All year round til they get to the NBA.

 

[Natebishop3]

I don't think players back then played on AAU teams from the time they are in 3rd grade like they do now. All year round til they get to the NBA.

That might account for it, but I wonder if it might have something to do with the shoes. I remember hearing something about the Nike shocks the first time around, and most of the stars who endorsed it all having knee problems (Vince Carter, Zach Randolph, Amare Stoudemire). I'm wondering if that has anything to do with it?

 

[THE HCP]

NO way on the shoes. Don't you remember the old Chuck Taylors and Adidas shell toe SuperStars.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

NO way on the shoes. Don't you remember the old Chuck Taylors and Adidas shell toe SuperStars.

I heard somewhere that more cushioning in shoes hasn't necessarily been a good thing.

 

[MickZagger]

NO way on the shoes. Don't you remember the old Chuck Taylors and Adidas shell toe SuperStars.

Shit, Mo Lucas use to wear those shell toes back in the day with absolutely zero ankle support. I think it has to do with how much basketball he's played and his style of play. Some of it might even be genetics. I know genetically I was born with a weak ankles, colon and premature balding. Its entirely possible that its bad knees are in Roy's genetic make-up.

 

[MickZagger]

I heard somewhere that more cushioning in shoes hasn't necessarily been a good thing.

Then why do you wear shape-ups?

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

It's pretty clear now why it took Roy forever to get his contract. The team is now paying $85m for a player who's always going to be in pain and wont produce like he did before the contract. No meniscus means he's always going to be in pain after/during games. I have no meniscus in my right knee and it really sucks. Moving laterally without a meniscus really does hurt. I think everyone can see that with Roy -- his once dangerous first-step is gone.

 

[MickZagger]

It's pretty clear now why it took Roy forever to get his contract. The team is now paying $85m for a player who's always going to be in pain and wont produce like he did before the contract. No meniscus means he's always going to be in pain after/during games. I have no meniscus in my right knee and it really sucks. Moving laterally without a meniscus really does hurt. I think everyone can see that with Roy -- his once dangerous first-step is gone.

Should we play him like Yao? 20-25 minutes and rest him on 2nd night of back-to-backs. Then unleash him once the playoffs start and hope for the Roy of old.

 

[Natebishop3]

NO way on the shoes. Don't you remember the old Chuck Taylors and Adidas shell toe SuperStars.

And those guys didn't do the crazy athletic things that the players today do. Can you imagine Bob Cousy with a 48 inch vertical?

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Then why do you wear shape-ups?

 

[MickZagger]

And those guys didn't do the crazy athletic things that the players today do. Can you imagine Bob Cousy with a 48 inch vertical?

This was in the 70's and early 80's.

 

[Natebishop3]

This was in the 70's and early 80's.

That's where the "etc" comes into play

 

[MickZagger]

Look at these shoes Dr. J was wearing.

 

[Natebishop3]

Look at these shoes Dr. J was wearing.

So what do you think Zags? Why so many injuries for guys so young?

 

[MickZagger]

AAU and crazy athletes is why a lot of young guys are getting so injured so often of late.

 

[Blazinaway]

wow, what a bummer, I actually wish after reading the piece that he needed surgery, that probably would offer more hope his condition might improve some, but with this and BOTH knees involved we can only "hope" for stability in the condition and not a gradual worsening (very possible) in the months and years ahead as the NBA gring takes it's toll. Damn, oh well we have to suck it up and move on.

 

[Kaydow]

I'm sure this has been considered - Meniscus Replacement. See link below from UW. I have no idea if this is a reasonable option for an NBA player, but they must have considered this. Otherwise, it's arthritic knees forever.

http://www.orthop.washington.edu/uw...7/ItemID__287/PageID__3/Articles/Default.aspx

 

[Mediocre Man]

So the Blazers now have a max player who is now and will be from this point forwad a jump shooter?

 

[hasoos]

So the Blazers now have a max player who is now and will be from this point forwad a jump shooter?

Yes, and that is if we are fortunate enough he can make that transition. The question I have is, can Nate make the transition from depending on him too much at the end of the game.

 

[julius]

I thought the knee in question was his right knee.

 

[Natebishop3]

Yes, and that is if we are fortunate enough he can make that transition. The question I have is, can Nate make the transition from depending on him too much at the end of the game.

And the answer is: no

 

[Mediocre Man]

Yes, and that is if we are fortunate enough he can make that transition. The question I have is, can Nate make the transition from depending on him too much at the end of the game.

Does that really need to be asked? Of course he can't

 

[illmatic99]

Doesn't Chris Paul have this situation, albeit in one knee? I recall reading that he too has no meniscus, and is bone-on-bone in one of them.

But, fwiw, we knew of this with Roy back when the playoffs started last season. His last surgery led him to take away most of the meniscus that was left. That's why he was able to return so early.

 

[B-Roy]

I'm surprised there aren't more posts. This is pretty serious...

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

The Allan Houston contract falls in the latter category; it was a bad idea destined to become worse. As a general unspoken rule, in 2001, any contract worth over $98.9 million to any player not a franchise player was a bad contract no matter how many years the payout was spread over. Almost two years after his dramatic last-second shot, against the Miami Heat in the playoffs, and the Knicks subsequent finals appearance, Houston was rewarded with a contract which would devour cap space and derail the team for years to come.

There was absolutely no way Allan Houston, an excellent 29-year old sharpshooter, poor rebounder and assist man and devout locker-room Christian (divisively so, it has been reported), could live up to the contract on the court or as the team leader for six years.

After Houston entered his contract at almost $20 million per year he had individually decent seasons (2001-2003) as a scorer on bad teams. In 2003-2004, the team's franchise player was limited to 50 games because of a knee injury. The following year after refusing to have surgery to repair the knee he missed 62 games. Houston retired in 2005 but the impact of his contract, exacerbated by other bad contracts brought on by Layden, did not subside. In 2006, Allan Houston's salary was $20,718,750 against the cap although he was no longer playing for the team.

...

 

[VanillaGorilla]

You keep getting paid if you retire?

 

[Natebishop3]

You keep getting paid if you retire?

You shouldn't....