Krejci undergoes knee surgery
Oklahoma City guard Vit Krejci had an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee Tuesday, the Thunder announced.
Krejci is expected to return to full basketball activities by the start of the 2022-23 season.
Krejci tore the ACL in his left knee two months before the Thunder selected him in the 2020 NBA Draft. After missing all of last season, Krejci played in 30 games this season, but he said his knee still wasn't feeling 100%.
The need for another procedure confirms that.
Krejci is under contract for $1.6 million next season, but his contract is only partially guaranteed.
Due to the surgery, Krejci wasn't available for Thunder exit interviews on Tuesday.
Here's a collection of news and notes from the day:
❚ Veteran center Derrick Favors said he'll probably pick up his $10.2 million player option for next season. “I expect to be back here next year,” Favors said.
❚ Point guard Theo Maledon said he'll try to play for the French national team this summer. Maledon said he'll split his offseason between France and Oklahoma City.
❚ Josh Giddey, Aleksej Pokusevski and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl said they don't know if they'll play in the Las Vegas Summer League. Tre Mann and Lindy Waters III confirmed that they'll participate.
❚ Giddey said the hip injury that sidelined him after the All-Star break has improved: “Obviously I wanted to come back this season, but when it was time to ramp up there just wasn't that much left in the season.”
❚ Giddey said there will be a “few tweaks” to his jump shot this offseason, but “nothing too major.”
❚ Something Giddey likes about living in OKC? No traffic. “Everywhere is quick to get around, which is the best part, but I love it here.”
❚ Guard Ty Jerome on the Thunder's roster crunch: “The roster changes have nothing to do with me,” he said. “I'm not saying I can't be involved with them, I'm saying it's not my job to figure those out.”
❚ Waters on the precedent of Thunder two-way players being signed to standard contracts: “I'm not worried about trying to get signed right now. Just trying to get better.”
❚ Robinson-Earl compared the Thunder to Villanova, where he played college ball: “It's not like you're in college, but it has that environment of family.”
❚ Mann was asked if there's a player he tries to emulate: “I have to say Shai … just the way he gets to the rim and finishes around the rim, I like that about his game.”
❚ Isaiah Roby, who's entering the last year of his contract, on the pressure of sticking in the NBA: “The one thing I've learned, it never really goes away. As a rookie, you're trying to get your feet wet in the league and you're trying to make your spot. That pressure is still there in my fourth year now.”
❚ Lu Dort is still rehabbing from shoulder surgery. He said he has two to three months to get back to 100%.
❚ Dort is eligible to sign an extension this offseason. He's entering the final year of his contract. “I'm going to let my agent handle it,” Dort said.
❚ Darius Bazley, who's also extension eligible, deferred to his agent as well.
❚ Kenrich Williams brought a basketball to his exit interview. He reiterated his desire to retire in Oklahoma City.