Detroit Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson will treat the pain in his left knee by undergoing a platelet-rich plasma injection, head coach Stan Van Gundy has told ESPN.
The 6-foot-3 guard will undergo the procedure on Monday in New York, according to Van Gundy. He did not have a timetable for Jackson's return, although it was initially estimated to be a six to eight-week absence.
Jackson had been battling left knee tendinitis for years and had received the injection in 2011 when playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He decided to have the PRP treatment on Friday after receiving a second opinion and weighing his options with his agent and coaches.
“It's a significant amount of time,” Van Gundy told reporters on Saturday. “He's played a lot of games and a lot of minutes. He has a good confidence in [this procedure] — nothing is forever, but that's something that worked really for him before. I think he feels good about it.”
Van Gundy said Jackson also has a bone bruise on his left knee and will be on crutches for three to seven days after the treatment, which will keep him from traveling with the Pistons for their two preseason games next week.
Jackson is in the second year of a five-year, $80 million deal with the Pistons which he has backed up with a 18.8 points per game production during the first year of his contract.
Ish Smith, who signed a three-year, $18 million contract with Detroit this summer, figures to get the start at point guard in Jackson's absence, which will prove to be a tall task for a team on the rise.
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