Earlier in the season, Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd was forced from the sidelines for 17 games because of hip surgery. Now, an eerily similar affliction has struck his point guard.
The Bucks announced in an official release on Monday that third-year guard Michael Carter-Williams is set to undergo season-ending surgery on a torn labrum in his left hip. His recovery time is expected to be three months.
Carter-Williams, 24, concludes the 2015-16 campaign with averages of 11.5 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, and 5.2 assists per game. But the former Rookie of the Year’s subpar ballhandling and broken jumper caused the Bucks enough indigestion this season that they relegated to him to a bench role. Carter-Williams himself even acknowledged that the demotion was a deserved one.
The great irony here is that the Bucks turned down not one, but two trades for starting point guards at this year’s deadline. But given that Khris Middleton was the asking price in both offers and that Giannis Antetokounmpo has blossomed in his new role as the team’s lead playmaker (three triple-doubles in his last seven games), it’s probably not a decision that they regret.
Milwaukee has found success of late using Antetokounmpo as a makeshift “point forward” with O.J. Mayo being inserted into the starting lineup as a spot-up shooter of sorts. While that lineup tweak won’t suddenly resurrect the playoff hopes of the 26-37 Bucks, hopefully it assures that the loss of Carter-Williams won’t sting too badly.
Image Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
H/T Rotoworld
