Turned out that the knee trouble that required Blake Griffin to leave Team USA and return to Los Angeles was a meniscus tear that will prevent him from participating in the London Olympics.
For the Clippers, Griffin will be sidelined for six-to-eight weeks, meaning he should be healthy in time for training camp in the fall.
“We’re relieved that this does not affect Blake’s ability to be ready in time for training camp,” Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said in a statement. “Missing out on the Olympic experience will be tough for him to take. I know how dedicated he was to doing that. We’re glad we can get this fixed now and take advantage of the available time for him to fully recover.”
USA Basketball said in a statement that Griffin reported he was experiencing discomfort in the knee during a scrimmage at Team USA training camp. Griffin missed Thursday night’s 113-59 exhibition victory over the Dominican Republic.
The Clippers said Griffin would undergo an MRI exam once he returns to Los Angeles and then will be evaluated by Dr. Neal ElAttrache of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic on Sunday.
USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo suggested the soreness in Griffin’s knee was related to the injury he suffered during the 2012 NBA playoffs.
“The reality is, that injury took place at the end of the season,” Colangelo said. “And he had an option to get scoped and he opted not to get scoped. And so, I guess he aggravated it. Whether he’s able to play now remains to be seen.”
Griffin did not show any obvious signs of an injury on Wednesday, and a source told ESPN.com that Griffin’s knee “swelled up” after the scrimmage.
New Orleans rookie Anthony Davis, the NBA’s 2012 No. 1 overall pick out of Kentucky, has been asked to report to Team USA training camp in Las Vegas. Davis dressed for Team USA’s game against the Dominican Republic.
