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UPDATE (5:45 pm): Chris Haynes of ESPN reported that Ezeli had been looking for a cadaver donor, and found one this week. That’s the reason his surgery is happening next week.
ESPN Sources: For months Portland's Festus Ezeli sought a cadaver donor. One recently submitted, thus surgical procedure on knee next week.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) March 5, 2017
Early Saturday evening the Portland Trail Blazers announced that big man Festus Ezeli will have knee surgery on his left knee. The procedure will be performed by Dr. Robert LaPrade at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado. Ezeli will be ruled out for the remainder of the 2016-17 NBA season.
Trail Blazers center Festus Ezeli is expected to undergo surgery next week on his left knee, it was announced today by Neil Olshey, president of basketball operations.
While the exact surgery date is pending, it will be performed by Dr. Robert LaPrade at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado.
Ezeli will be out for the remainder of the 2016-17 season.
This follows reports that the Trail Blazers attempted to move Ezeli before the February 23rd trade deadline. Per Marc Stein of ESPN.com:
Sources say Portland is determined to move injured center Festus Ezeli before the deadline and is pitching him in particular to teams well below the salary floor that would be willing to take on Ezeli's contract with some level of draft compensation attached. This is the first year of a two-year deal for Ezeli that pays $7.4 million this season but is guaranteed for only $1 million next season.
Ezeli’s contract is only partially guaranteed for the 2017-18 season, with only $1 million guaranteed for whatever team wishes to carry him on their roster. When guaranteeing his full contract, he will be owed $7.33 million.