Darrell Arthur, the 6-foot-9 forward entering his fourth season with the Memphis Grizzlies, broke the top of his fibula preparing for training camp this week.
The injury to his left leg could keep Arthur sidelined for up to six weeks. This after missing all of the 2011-12 lockout shortened season after tearing his right ACL this past December.
The following via the AP:
The Grizzlies announced the injury Wednesday. Arthur had been practicing with Memphis opening training camp Monday, and the break described as a small, non-displaced fracture in the head of his left fibula was diagnosed after an MRI earlier this week.
This is obviously a tough setback for Arthur. He had begun to establish himself during the 2010-11 season averaging more than nine points and four rebounds per game in 20 minutes per game off the bench for Memphis.
He went on to appear in 13 playoff games that season, as the Grizzlies upset the San Antonio Spurs in the first round, averaging more than seven points in nearly 16 minutes of work per contest.
Since that time, the Memphis Grizzlies went out and traded for Marresse Speights to help bolster their frontline behind Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. Speights fit in nicely down in Memphis last season, averaging nine points and almost seven rebounds per game. He will be counted on heavily again with Arthur's injury. Reserve center Hamed Haddadi is also battling back from a thumb injury after being out for eight weeks himself.
Until Arthur is able to return, Speights will be even more valuable than previously anticipated. When Darrell does come back, if he can build upon that campaign he had in 2010-11, the Grizzlies could have one of the deepest frontcourts in the League. Until then, they will need somebody like Haddadi to carry his load in relief of the starting bigs.
Image: Zimbio
