Damian Lillard Out Indefinitely Due To Surgery

 

As if things haven't gone bad enough for the Portland Trail Blazers this season. They will now be without Damian Lillard for the foreseeable future—if not the rest of the season. 

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard will undergo surgery on Thursday for his abdominal injury and will be sidelined indefinitely, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 12, 2022

Lillard will undergo surgery for the abdominal injury that's already cost him 11 games this season. He hasn't played since Dec. 31st. The Blazers are also without CJ McCollum indefinitely, who's recovering from a collapsed lung. They're eight games below .500 and barely clinging to a play-in spot in the West. 

The Blazers' superstar revealed earlier that the injury has actually bothered him for a few years, and has been diagnosed as lower abdominal tendinopathy. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported that after seeing several specialists around the country, surgery was confirmed as the only option. 

The 31-year-old will have the procedure on Thursday, and he'll be re-evaluated in 6-to-8 weeks. However, the Trail Blazers' miserable standing in the playoff picture and his recovery process could certainly mean that he's out longer. 

On Tuesday, Sean Highkin of Bleacher Report, in fact, told us "Don't be surprised if Damian Lillard has played his last game of the 2021-22 NBA season." 

The 32-year-old has been the subject of trade rumors since the offseason, and he is eligible for a 2-year, $107M extension this summer. 

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports