Veteran guard Gerald Henderson is expected to undergo surgery on his hip, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN (via Twitter). Haynes reports that Henderson may miss the entire 2017/18 season as a result of the ailment, while a statement from Henderson’s agency confirms that he’s evaluating surgical options for his troublesome left hip.
“I have been playing through severe pain that has made it difficult to play to the best of my ability,” Henderson said. “Now the pain has started to impact my everyday life off the court. My family, my agent and I are working closely with my medical team to give me all of the information I will need to make the best decision, personally and professionally. I am as competitive as they come and want to play. I will fully commit myself to getting healthy. I am thankful for the many opportunities I’ve had and I look forward to returning to playing in the NBA.”
Henderson, 29, spent the 2016/17 campaign with the Sixers, averaging 9.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG, and 1.6 APG in a part-time role for the team. He also had a shooting line of .423/.353/.806.
Despite posting solid numbers for a role player, Henderson was overpriced for ’17/18, with his contract calling for a $9MM salary. Only $1MM of that amount was guaranteed, however, so the Sixers waived the former lottery pick on the last day of June, ensuring that they wouldn’t be on the hook for the remaining $8MM. Henderson has remained on the free agent market since then.
If Henderson’s hip procedure does force him to miss the entire 2017/18 season, he’d be poised to seek out a new team next summer. Missing a full season can result in an uphill battle for a player attempting to work his way back into the NBA, but Henderson has eight solid seasons under his belt and will only be 30 years old in 2018, so he should be able to find a new NBA home if he makes a full recovery.
He was gonna miss this season because no one would have signed him anyway
If Henderson is fully healthy, personally, I think he gets picked up pretty quickly…
Every young and upcoming team would love to have Henderson in their rotation…He can hit you a three, he moves well without the ball, he plays some fairly solid defense, and he is an average rebounder and solid passer…
His basketball IQ, greatly outshines his sheer raw athleticism…He would provide a solid, veteran presence on any bench!! So, with all of that being said, whether it is by a contender or a young, rising team, there are countless teams that would love to have Gerald Henderson…
He would get picked up easily he’s the type of veteran teams want