Blake Griffin Undergoes Surgery on Left Knee, Sidelined Indefinitely

• Image: Kelvin Kuo/USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Pistons All-NBA forward Blake Griffin underwent successful surgery on his left knee, and will now be sidelined indefinitely, the team announced Tuesday.

Griffin, who was sidelined for the team's first 10 games, has played in just 18 contests over the course of the season. Despite the extended time to rehab over the summer, Griffin has looked like a shell of himself from just last season, when he carried Detroit to only their second playoff appearance of the 2010's. When Griffin has played this year, he has looked noticeably hobbled, with the lift on his jumper and explosiveness near the basket nowhere to be found.

The ten-year veteran averaged just 15.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists on a ghastly 35.2 percent shooting this season. This surgery seemed increasingly likely as Griffin continued to miss games, and he will now likely set his sights on a return next season.

With this injury, the Pistons will be eligible to apply for the Disabled Player Exception, giving the team a chance to sign another player for the remainder of the season, according to Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports:

https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA/status/1214626504568721408

The Pistons' chances of competing for a playoff spot have fallen past the point of improbable, despite being only a few games short of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. Now, the team will likely prioritize the development of their youth, including prized rookie Sekou Doumbouya.