The Memphis Grizzlies announced on Sunday — just three days before the start of their season — that center Steven Adams will undergo surgery on his right knee and miss the entire 2023-24 NBA season.  The Grizzlies said in a statement:  “Steven Adams will undergo season-ending knee surgery on his right posterior cruciate ligament, after non-operative rehabilitation did not resolve ongoing knee instability. Adams is expected to make a full recovery ahead of next season.”

Adams, 30, is one of the best rebounders in the NBA.   He initially hurt the PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) in his right knee in January and missed the second half of last season, plus the 2023 NBA playoffs. The 10-year NBA veteran played in two preseason games before being shut down; he averaged 8.6 points and 11.5 rebounds per game in 42 contests last season before the injury.

Adams was acquired by Memphis in a trade with New Orleans ahead of the 2021-22 season. Last October, he signed a two-year, $25.2 million contract extension with the Grizzlies that runs through the 2024-25 season.

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