Really, New Orleans’ luck had been going too well.
They draft Austin Rivers, he has surgery. They trade for Robin Lopez, now he has knee surgery. It’s fine, it’s just not the kind of thing you want right off the bat as the rebuilding project gets underway. From the team’s presser:The New Orleans Hornets announced today that center Robin Lopez underwent successful surgery to correct a tear of his medial meniscus in his left knee.
Lopez was acquired July 27 along with forward Hakim Warrick and cash considerations from the Phoenix Suns. The 7’0’’ center averaged 5.4 points and 3.3 rebounds for the Suns last season in 14.0 minutes over 64 games.
The procedure was performed by Dr. El Attrache at the Kerlan Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles. Lopez is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for training camp this fall.
So not just arthroscopic, but a tear, albeit in the meniscus. Great. Fantastic.
Lopez has had a rash of injuries in his young career, and that’s not a great sign. But these things happen, and he’s expected to recover. But bear in mind he’s got two months to get healthy from surgery. Not ideal.
But the Hornets were prepared to go smallball regardless, for if they hadn’t pulled off the trade for Lopez, they would have had only Jason Smith as a reliable center. The surgery went well and Lopez can likely recover with no ill effects. It’s just a concern for the knife to be necessary so soon after the Hornets’ acquisition of him.
