Magic Forward Chuma Okeke Recovering From Knee Surgery; Return Soon?
Orlando Magic forward Chuma Okeke is continuing to recover from his knee surgery last month.
ESPN reported that Okeke would be out for "at least a month" on Dec. 20 after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to "repair and reshape damaged cartilage in the joint."
Now, a month later, Okeke is listed as out with "left knee injury recovery" as opposed to "left knee surgery," as he had been. He's also beginning to get some on-court work done in practice, according to Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel.
The No. 16 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Okeke started seven of his 18 games this season, averaging 5.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists over 21 minutes per contest.
There's no current timetable for his return, but the Magic will look to proceed with caution as the team continues to navigate this delicate injury.
“That’s the same knee he’s dealt with before,” coach Jamahl Mosley said on the injury back in November. “A part of this is being careful so things don’t get any worse. We want to stay cautious with our guys and make sure we try to get healthy bodies back.”
Given the fact that Jonathan Isaac, another defensive-minded power forward, is about to make his return tonight against the Boston Celtics, Okeke's role when he comes back could be limited, which might slow down the urgency in his return.
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