Greg Oden's finally looking ready. But the guy who will get him the ball is banged up.
The Portland Trail Blazers announced on Wednesday that guard Brandon Roy will have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Thursday. The operation will repair a tear in the meniscus that was revealed by MRI on Tuesday. Blazers team physician Dr. Don Roberts will perform the procedure at Southwest Washington Regional Surgery Center in Vancouver, Wash., and Roy is expected to be sidelined for between one and two months.
Oden, the top pick in last year's draft who missed all of the 2007-08 campaign after right knee surgery, worked out for the media on Tuesday.
The 7-footer from Ohio State showed no signs of problems in two-on-two work with teammates Steve Blake and Channing Frye and former Arkansas star Steven Hill, a 7-footer invited to practice with Portland. Oden isn't allowed to go five-on-five until next month.
"I'm feeling good," Oden said. "I do not have any pain or soreness in my knee."
Roy is part of a young nucleus for the up-and-coming Blazers. The 2006-07 Rookie of the Year has averaged 18.1 points, 5.0 assists and 4.6 rebounds over his two years in the league.
Roy helped the Blazers improve by 11 wins in his rookie year to a 32-50 mark, and even without Oden, Portland jumped up to 41 wins last season.
Information from The Associated Press and Reuters was used in this report.