Eric Bledsoe’s knee injury does not appear to be as serious as previously feared. The Suns’ rising star underwent arthroscopic surgery that only removed part of his damaged right meniscus rather than a more serious procedure, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. This will allow Bledsoe to return in 4-6 weeks, according to the report.
There was concern that Bledsoe needed to have his meniscus either fully removed or repaired. The former is a procedure that stars such as Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul has undergone that ensures a quicker recovery, but could lead to more damage down the road.
Eric Bledsoe had arthroscopic surgery, only part of meniscus was removed
The Suns guard could see the floor in as little as four-to-six weeks.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The latter is done when there’s more serious meniscus damage; it’s the same procedure that will keep Derrick Rose out for the rest of the season after he injured his knee in November. Removing just part of the meniscus via an arthroscopic surgery allows more cushioning in the knee joint and will get Bledsoe healthy sooner without the damaging long-term effects of a full-on removal.
Getting one of their most important players back on the court could mean the Suns continue to be buyers at the trade deadline. Several reports have said Phoenix would be willing to part with assets if they could get a star player in return.
As they sit now, the Suns are seventh in the Western Conference at 21-15. First-year coach Jeff Hornacek is a legitimate candidate for Coach of the Year, and getting Bledsoe back will mean the Suns likely remain in the playoff discussion come April.
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