The Portland Trailblazers received negative news today regarding the injury status of Festus Ezeli. The center has yet to play a minute in a Blazers uniform due to a left knee injury and according to Shams Charania of the Vertical, he may undergo season ending knee surgery:
Vertical Sources: Portland center Festus Ezeli is likely to undergo season-ending surgery on his left knee. Finalizing procedure decision.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 17, 2016
Obviously, if Ezeli were to be out for season, this would be a devastating blow to a franchise that just signed the big man this past summer to a two-year, $15.1 million deal. Ezeli had a procedure done on his troublesome knee in late August and was expected to be out for about six weeks. However, a setback suffered in October made the timeline for his Portland debut even more cloudy. Now, following this latest news, it appears the ailment could be more than what the Blazers bargained for. However, Bobby Marks of the Vertical explains a potential saving grace for Portland:
Portland could be eligible to file for the Disabled Player Exception (DPE) if Ezeli is lost for the season. Exception would be worth $3.7m.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) December 17, 2016
Portland is in dire need of a consistent paint presence to compliment the explosive backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. The likes of Meyers Leonard, Mason Plumlee, and Ed Davis suffice for now, but in order to be considered a legitimate threat in the deep Western Conference, supple frontcourt depth is pretty much a requirement. Ezeli was supposed to be that guy providing a paint presence to push Portland over the edge but now it seems likely that we may not see him on the court until the start of next season.
