D'Angelo Russell injury update: Wolves star to undergo knee surgery, out for 4-6 weeks

The 2020-21 season has found Minnesota Timberwolves at the bottom of the Western Conference table, only managing to bag a few wins since December. Karl-Anthony Towns missed multiple games, while the team lost multiple encounters in a row. However, just as Towns returned to the court, reports announced that D'Angelo Russell would be out for many weeks.

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D'Angelo Russell injury update

ESPN Sources: Minnesota Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove a loose body in his left knee and is expected to miss four-to-six weeks.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 16, 2021

D'Angelo Russell knee surgery details

According to the team's announcement on Tuesday (Wednesday IST), Russell will be undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. The announcement added that Russell will need at least four to six weeks before he can return to the floor. The third-highest scorer for the team, Russell has missed the last three games because of a soreness in his left leg. 

When will D'Angelo Russell return?

He was diagnosed with a loose body in his knee, and will have to undergo the surgery on Wednesday (Thursday IST). The soon-to-be 25-year-old was acquired by the Timberwolves in a trade with the Golden State Warriors last year. Meant to help the team score and win consistently, the deal paired him with Karl-Anthony Towns.

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D'Angelo Russell injury history

The team, however, seems to be plagued with injuries and mishaps. Towns ended up missing various games throughout the season, which directly affected the team's positions. As per reports, Russell and Towns have played only five games together this season. Malik Beasley has been dominant among other players, posting numbers close to Towns. Ricky Rubio and Jordan McLaughlin will play in his stead. 

D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns have only appeared in 5 total games together since the Russell/Wiggins trade pic.twitter.com/2wFLQTusyF

— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) February 16, 2021

Russell is currently averaging 19.3 points and 5.1 assists while shooting 42.6% from the field (20 games). Additionally, Russell has also four missed games earlier with his quadriceps soreness. He was sidelined during the T-Wolves' 122-127 loss against the Dallas Mavericks.

Also read | T-wolves: Russell to have knee surgery, miss 4-6 weeks

As per reports, Russell has appeared in only 45 games last season and was unable to show off his consistency. This has somehow continued into the 2020-21 season and the situation worsened as Towns too got sidelined. 

After their 104-112 loss against the Los Angeles Lakers, head coach Ryan Saunders spoke about the team's situation. "The sooner we can we can get everybody right, the sooner we can see what those guys look like together is our hope," he said. Saunders even spoke of frustration, knowing that none of this is under his control. 

The team also has rookie Anthony Edwards, showing his expected potential during his first campaign. He scored a career-high 28 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists during the Lakers vs Timberwolves encounter. The team was determined for the first half and third quarter, only to lose after the Lakers outscored them 17-5 in the final period. 

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(Image credits: AP)