See update at bottom of post for more bad news.
This whole thing just makes me sad but I've still got a lot of hope for the guy to land on his feet (pun semi-intentional). Bulpett reports:
Leon Powe is out for the postseason and will undergo a second reconstructive surgery on his left knee. The procedure will give that joint a 2-1 lead on Powe's right knee, and it will give him some brutally hard rehab work the next 6-8 months - and beyond.
If you don't have a calendar handy, 6 months is October and 8 is obviously December. So in theory he could be good to go for next season but it is more likely it is going to be sometime closer to the 2nd half of the season or later.
Of course that has a big impact on his free agent status. His agent is trying to spin it in a positive light.
“I’m optimistic,” Aaron Goodwin said. “I had a similar situation with Willie Green. He was in his free agent year when he hurt his knee, and the Sixers stepped up and tendered him. Then when he proved he was all right, they signed him. We’re hoping the Celtics will do the same thing. The Celtics have always done what’s in the best interest of Leon Powe, and I think he’s rewarded their loyalty.”
Powe will be a restricted free agent after the season, and to maintain their right of first refusal the Celts will have to tender him a one-year offer of $1,030,189 (the minimum for a player of his experience plus $175,000). Considering the club was willing to give Patrick O’Bryant $1.5 million last summer, the C’s might consider a repaired Powe a better bet. But that decision obviously won’t be made before surgeons get inside the knee.
Get well Leon. Hope to see you back in green.
Update: Steve Bulpett posted a correction to his story: Tommy Point to him for fixing it.
Today’s column on Leon Powe under this byline contained a factual error. It was implied that Powe has had reconstructive surgery on his right knee, and this is incorrect.
He has had two major knee surgeries, and both have been on his left knee. This will be his third procedure on the same knee.
I apologize for the error.
Again, I have to plead ignorance on rehab issues, but 3 surgeries on the same knee? That can't be good.