After piecing together the best campaign of his professional career last year with the Detroit Pistons, forward Jon Leuer hasn’t been able to carry over that success to this season. The 7th-year big played a key role in Detroit’s frontcourt rotation last year but has been held to only 8 appearances so far this year and it appears that number will not increase.
According to Rod Beard of The Detroit News, Leuer will undergo right ankle surgery that will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the season:
#Pistons Jon Leuer tells The Detroit News that he will have season-ending ankle surgery on Friday. Story coming.
— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) January 19, 2018
The Pistons are still very much in the hunt for a playoff spot in the improved Eastern Conference and regaining Jon Leuer down the road could’ve provided them with a much-needed spark. Instead, the frustrating season for Leuer continues as he’ll now have to wait for next season to bounce back.
The season has not only been rough for Leuer, but this Pistons team is currently struggling to get through the heart of the NBA season as well. After an encouraging start, the Pistons have begun to level off dramatically as the season wears on.
With a .500 record of 22-22 now past the midway point of the season, the Pistons will have to claw and scrap the rest of the way to secure a playoff spot.
