Unfortunately for the Celtics, it looks like Williams’ knee troubles aren’t going to be over anytime soon. The 25 year old underwent a platelet rich plasma injection on Monday to help promote healing in his left knee. The Celtics don’t expect Williams to be back out on the court until at least halfway through the season, and even then, his return will likely be slow and his playing time heavily measured.
Williams knee troubles started last March when he suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee. He underwent surgery to repair the tear, and was able to return during the first round of the playoffs only a month later. He dealt with soreness, discomfort, and fluid build up as he was in and out of the lineup throughout the postseason. Despite the offseason rehab, Williams was still experiencing discomfort as he ramped up basketball activities in training camp, which ultimately prompted a second surgery about a month ago. The arthroscopic knee surgery was successful, and the Celtics provided an 8-12 week timetable for Williams’ return.
We can only assume that Williams’ recovery wasn’t going as well as planned a month after surgery if the young player is receiving plasma injections. Given the complications he’s had with his recovery, this could be a sign that the next three months might come with a few bumps in the road.
The Celtics will certainly miss their breakout defender for the first half of the season, but Williams’ value on the defensive end of the court certainly incentivizes them to do everything they can to get him healthy.
