Knicks forward Bojan Bogdanovic will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a left foot injury, the team announced. The forward will be re-evaluated in three months.
“It’s unfortunate,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said before Tuesday’s Game 5 against the Philadelphia 76ers. “I thought he was playing really well for us.”
Bogdanovic will also undergo surgery on his injured wrist, according to the Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Thibodeau didn’t go into full detail on what kind of foot injury Bogdanovic is dealing and said the veteran is “still gathering information.” The coach also didn’t give a full timeline for Bogdanovic’s return.
“I haven’t gotten all the details myself yet. So I’m waiting to hear on everything but he’s definitely out for the remainder of the postseason.”
The news of the Knicks losing a key role player comes with the team up 3-1 in the first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers. It also adds to the list of players not returning for a Knicks team hoping to make a deep playoff run.
Star forward Julius Randle opted for season-ending surgery for his dislocated right shoulder in April. Now Bogdanovic will join the three-time All-Star on the sidelines.
Mitchell Robinson missed 50 games this season with an ankle injury and OG Anunoby missed time due to an elbow injury after landing in New York via trade. Isaiah Hartenstein had been dealing with an Achilles injury after the New Year and recently surpassed his 30-minute limit as the team entered the postseason.
“Obviously, you hate to see anyone get hurt, but its been our reality all season,” the head coach added.
Bogdanovic appeared to suffer the foot injury after Sixers forward Nicolas Batum landed on his foot while diving for a loose ball less than a minute after the Knicks forward checked into Game 4.
Bogdanovic, who arrived in New York after the Knicks struck a deal with the Pistons, played through a left wrist injury since the regular season. The veteran battled through a sore wrist in the Knicks’ comeback Game 2 win against the Sixers at Madison Square Garden.
His back-to-back treys in the final period of Game 2 kept the Knicks within striking distance minutes before Donte DiVincenzo’s clutch trey in the final moments.
In the first three games of the postseason, Bogdanovic averaged eight points and four rebounds on 40% shooting from deep and 29% from the field.
The veteran averaged 10.4 points in 29 regular-season games with the Knicks this season.
MITCH IS BACK
Robinson is active for Tuesday’s Game 5. The center missed Game 4 after re-injuring his surgically repaired ankle in Game 3.
