PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee during a workout in Portland last week, a league source confirmed to The Athletic, a significant setback for the 23-year-old guard and the up-and-coming Blazers.
ESPN, which first reported the news, said Sharpe is expected to miss six months. But the league source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about ongoing deliberations, said the team will wait until a further assessment is made to determine a timeline.
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Sharpe was expected to be a key rotation piece this coming season. He is one of the Blazers’ best shot creators and one of the NBA’s best leapers, and he averaged 20.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in 50 games last season.
The seventh pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Sharpe has teased with star talent but has yet to break out because of his defense and injury problems. Last season, his fourth in the NBA, he missed 28 games with a stress reaction in his left tibia. In his second season, he played only 32 games because of an abdominal injury. He has also twice torn the labrum in his left shoulder. He has averaged 58.5 games per season, carrying career averages of 15.7 points and 4.0 rebounds.
His absence to start the season will ease the logjam at guard for the Blazers. Portland has a stable of talent in the backcourt, with Damian Lillard, Ja Morant, Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday all expected to command playing time.