Getty Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan looks on.
The Chicago Bulls (19-22) might have let out a collective sigh of relief that DeMar DeRozan was able to escape with what is being called a strained quad and nothing more serious, especially after the way he initially went down.
However, they are far from out of the woods after getting potentially devastating news on another key piece to the puzzle, forward Javonte Green. Green has been out for the last five games and has missed 13 of the Bulls’ last 19 outings since December 11 with what was being called “right knee soreness”.
Chicago has managed to go 8-5 in the games that he has missed this season.
But his absence was particularly notable in the 107-99 loss to the Boston Celtics and it appears things will continue this way for the foreseeable future.
Bulls’ Javonte Green Will be Out Two Weeks Minimum
“Chicago Bulls guard Javonte Green will undergo an arthroscopic debridement of his right knee on Wednesday, Jan. 11,” the Bulls announced via the team website. “He will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks.”
Green is averaging 5.9 points on career-high efficiency on 66.7% true shooting while knocking down 38.2% of his looks from beyond the arc adding 2.9 rebounds for good measure.
He had assumed a starting role over third-year forward Patrick Williams but the injury saw things revert back to the Bulls’ opening-day look with the latter starting and Green coming off the bench even when he initially returned to action. Despite that, he has had a more positive impact than his young teammate.
Add this Javonte Green putback dunk to the reel
Green ranks third on the Bulls in net efficiency differential, per Cleaning The Glass.
Williams has the second-worst ahead of only second-year guard Ayo Dosunmu who has also had his starting role taken away due to the ups and downs that often come with younger players.
For as much as Williams has stepped up his play since returning to the lineup, and the Bulls have been able to withstand Green’s absence so far, that is only part of the concern.
Javonte Green’s Procedure Similar to Lonzo Ball’s
It is unclear exactly what the doctors will do, though we do know what the procedure Green will have entails. That is largely thanks to Lonzo Ball whose torn meniscus resulted in loose cartilage (that caused nerve damage according to his father, LaVar Ball) which needed to be cleaned up in an arthroscopic debridement in September.
Ball underwent surgery on his meniscus, his second such procedure, in January. By the time the Bulls take on the Golden State Warriors on January 15, he will have been sidelined for a full calendar year.
Interestingly, it was against the Warriors that Ball initially aggravated the knee injury revealing the tear and setting the current timeline in motion.
The Bulls had hoped Ball would return after the New Year but that has been pushed back.
Adrian Wojanrowski of ESPN previously reported that there is no guarantee Ball will return this season, something head coach Billy Donovan admitted he has operated under the assumption of all along. No one is saying Green is at the same risk level as Ball. But the procedure carries a negative connotation in light of the entire ordeal with Ball.