Originally Posted by Rip City Project

Within the next two weeks, Blazer management will fly Brandon Roy to meet with one of the world’s most renowned orthopedic surgeons to discuss the possibility of surgery and/or other treatment on Roy’s troubled left knee.

The orthopedic expert is the team doctor for one of the NBA’s other 29 teams. I’m not at liberty to report his name, but he has experience in meniscus transplantation.

The procedure has been performed on some professional athletes who have retired, such as football player Marshall Faulk. It has never been done on an active pro player, however.

It’s hard to know what to make of this. Given that this procedure has never been done on an active athlete, it could be insanely risky on the part of Roy and the Trail Blazers’ medical staff and front office to try it. On the other hand, if they were to opt for this surgery and it were to go as planned, it completely changes the outlook of the Blazers’ future.

By all indications, Roy’s condition can’t be helped anymore by any conventional surgery, because he has almost no meniscus remaining in his left knee following the operation he underwent last April. In the games he has played this season, he has often looked unsure of himself and his own body, and has clearly not been physically up to the level of play that made him an All-Star the previous three seasons. And by all accounts, simply resting the knee the last couple of weeks hasn’t helped matters any. Rich Cho announced last week that the team will hold Roy out indefinitely while they explore all options for treatment.

The Blazers are on the hook for Roy’s $80 million contract no matter what, so of course the team wants to make every effort to salvage its investment, even if it means taking unprecedented measures like this one. I don’t pretend to know about the medical side of this stuff, but all it takes is a little common sense to know that this is the most high-risk, high-reward option Roy and the team could take. If he has this procedure, and it is successful, there’s a chance he could eventually return to playing at a high level–if not quite the superstar track he was on, at least something more than what he’s been this season. I’ve heard a few people say that Roy’s potentially career-threatening injury is the most overlooked story of the 2010-11 season so far, but you can rest assured that it won’t go under the radar if he does elect to have this surgery. We could have one of the biggest stories in all of sports on our hands, given the possibilities it would open up for other athletes with this problem.

All of this, of course, is assuming Roy does decide to do this, which isn’t a decision one makes lightly. I’d like to think we can trust Roy and the Blazers’ medical staff to explore every option to the fullest extent before deciding on a course of action. But from the looks of it, this might be the best option for Roy. Even if it affects his basketball career, the idea of having meniscus added where there was none before can only make the prospect of walking around on that knee for the rest of his life a little brighter. The most important thing here is Brandon’s long-term health–and by long-term, I mean with or without basketball in the picture. These guys don’t hang up their knees when they hang up their sneakers. This is the set of knees he will have for as long as he lives. If he has this procedure and can get back to at least close to where he was as a basketball player, that’s gravy.

Originally Posted by Rose

CP3's better because only ONE of his knees has no meniscus. Roy lost both. Yeah that's why no one's done it, because the added stress and workout would probably make the surgery a nonfactor. Maybe this is what they meant though by having him sit out a year?:confusedshrug:

Originally Posted by thejumpa

Good point I forgot about CP3 being bone on bone in only 1 knee.

If this is the only option, which it's looking like, you do it. What do you have to lose? Have the surgery, sit out a year resting and strengthening your knees. Come back and see what happens. Like the article said, it's not just about basketball. He's going to have to live his life on those knees. My stepfather is bone on bone in both knees and he hates it. Of course it's not that big of a deal seeing as he's used to the pain, but still. He can't walk long distances, jump, run, nothing. It completely sucked his athleticism away.

Originally Posted by Rose

He just needs to take some time off, get a good brace built for basketball. Strengthen all the other knee muscles and do some therapy.

I mean he could do it and be happy, but I think he should take some time off regardless of the surgery just to adjust to being bone on bone in both knees.If he has the surgery no one knows what could happen. He could essentially be the Tommy John of basketball.

Originally Posted by thejumpa

Yeah, well he is out "indefinitely". I bet he comes back for a few games and then they shut him down for the season. No point in damaging your knee any more. Overcompensating is an issue as well.

I totally agree with the Tommy John reference. If it works, he can come back and be the player he used to be(atleast 85% I'd assume) and help other players as well. Right now he's obviously not that.

Originally Posted by Rose

CP3's better because only ONE of his knees has no meniscus. Roy lost both. Yeah that's why no one's done it, because the added stress and workout would probably make the surgery a nonfactor. Maybe this is what they meant though by having him sit out a year?:confusedshrug:

Originally Posted by xcesswee

Also, the difference with CP3 and Roy, is that CP3 only had a partial tear on his meniscus in his left knee. The partial tear is the only part that got removed. So I believe that he still has part of his meniscus in his left knee which wouldn't make it bone on bone entirely. I think Roy has bone on bone for both of his knees.

Originally Posted by Rose

Well Roy's being stupid. I tore my meniscus in high school, and regretted coming back too soon. Which he obviously did last year. And this year.

They tell you "take lots of rest, and train up your muscles to carry on the extra stress" He has the Eric Snow syndrome too of both knees being gone which means he needs to slow things down and reinvent himself which I've said all along. IF I were Roy, I wouldn't let my pride get me, and I'd play less minutes especially considering they have: Wesley Matthews, and Rudy Fernandez to back him up. No way in hell i'd be shortening my career by playing 35 minutes a night. I'd play 25 a night and that would be that.

And yeah. If he comes back that could COMPLETELY change some guys' career. Paul for example as we've both said. and I'm sure there's a host of other guys with no meniscus we're not thinking of.

Originally Posted by thejumpa

+1

I tried defending him coming back so soon forever, but I just can't anymore. If your knees are that bad, sit it out for a while. You have said yourself that you aren't the same player anymore so why risk anything? To be fair, when you are young, you feel like you can play through anything. I've played with all kinds of injuries simply because I could. The reality is, that's incredible stupid and will come back to haunt you as you start getting older.

Looking back on it, he was probably like "Hey, I'm the #1 option, I just signed a huge contract, and the team already has had bad luck in terms of injuries. I'm just gonna play until things get really bad" The problem is he didn't realize that things would get this bad so fast. It's ****ed up because Allen has done a good job IMO building that organization up. Things like this can completely ruin a franchise.