Dallas Mavericks small forward Chandler Parsons may need microfracture surgery to repair the nagging right knee injury that has knocked him out for the remainder of the season, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas.
Chandler Parsons may need microfracture surgery, per report
Parsons would likely miss the start of next season if he undergoes microfracture surgery on his right knee.
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Whether microfracture surgery is needed will be decided when the initial arthroscopic procedure is done. There’s still a chance that arthroscopic surgery is all that’s required to repair the cartilage damage in the knee, but if microfracture surgery is needed, Parsons would likely miss the start of next season.
Parsons initially suffered the injury on March 29 against the Indiana Pacers. The forward tried to play through it at first, but he soon went on the shelf and missed the last six games of the regular season. He returned to action for Game 1 of the Mavericks' series against the Houston Rockets, only to aggravate the injury on an awkward landing in the first half, although he went on to play 37 minutes anyway.
The knee didn’t respond well and Parsons was ruled out for Game 2, and shortly after it was announced that he’d miss the rest of the postseason and needed surgery.
Microfracture surgery isn't an ideal option, since it carries a higher risk of further issues down the road. Parsons' teammate, Amar'e Stoudemire, had microfracture surgery in 2005, and while Stoudemire returned to great effectiveness following the surgery, he has had lingering knee problems over the past few years and is a shell of his former self. Greg Oden infamously had his career derailed by multiple microfracture surgeries, and others like Penny Hardaway and Chris Webber dealt with negative effects of the surgery.
However, there have been success stories as well, so all hope isn’t lost if Parsons indeed needs to go the microfracture route. The key will be to take the necessary time in rehab and not rush back on the court like he seemed to do in order to play in the playoffs.
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