Raptors center Khem Birch underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Wednesday in Los Angeles, the team announced today in a press release. The procedure took place at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute, a day after Zach LaVine underwent a similar procedure there.
According to the Raptors, the surgery cleaned up “loose debris” in Birch’s knee. The expectation is that he’ll be ready to go for the start of training camp in September.
After joining the Raptors on the buyout market during the second half of the 2020/21 season, Birch signed a new three-year, $20MM contract with the club last offseason. Hampered by his troublesome right knee and other injuries in ’21/22, the 29-year-old appeared in just 55 games, starting 28 of them. He averaged 4.5 PPG and 4.3 RPG with a career-worst .485 FG% in 18.0 minutes per contest.
Still, Birch’s deal is fully guaranteed for all three years, so barring a trade, he’ll be back in Toronto next season. It’s unclear whether he’ll have an opportunity to reenter the starting lineup, however, given the emergence of young big man Precious Achiuwa, as well as the Raptors’ willingness to start three forwards – Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Scottie Barnes – in lieu of a center.
Richaun Holmes, Trey Lyles & Sac’s 2023 top10 protected 1st to Toronto for OG Anunoby works for both of these teams… Visions of Fox/OG/Domas together for the next 3-5yrs has me reminiscent of the Joe/Josh/Al trio (Atl) that from 08-13 was 1 of the most slept on/productive trios in the league… Toronto gets a much needed upgrade at the 5 while shaving a couple Ms off the payroll. Lyles isn’t OG, esp defensively but aye that’s what you drafted Scottie for. Plus they’d get an extra mid-1st rd pick
Lol no. OG would only be moved as part of a package for a superstar.
Raptors need more players like OG.
That’s sorta what the issue is.. they got 2 forwards that are pretty similar to OG already, Pascal & Scottie. In fact both those guys are better than OG. So instead of paying your 3rd best forward big $ to come off the bench they could use him to strengthen their biggest weakness
Al, Josh & Joe, there you go.
I’d like to see a breakdown of effectiveness of TOR’s lineups with (1) the 3 F’s, (2) a C with OG/PS, (3) a C with OG/SB, and (4) a C with PS/SB. That may yield too small a sample size mostly because OG is constantly getting hurt (averages less than 50 games a year). But OG is also the only reliable 3 pt shooter of the F’s (although PS was somewhat better this past year). He’s also the guy they put on the 5 when the 3 F’s play together (at least from what I’ve seen).
It could benefit TOR to deal a F. But I wouldn’t deal OG unless I was comfortable in lineup 4 as a base lineup. Lineup 4, right now, at least with the C’s mentioned, would be one of the worst (if not the worst) 3 pt shooting 3-5 combinations in the league. Other virtues for sure, but today’s %’s would suggest that shortchanging 3 pt shooting for other things to that degree is almost never a good trade off. But, as I said, I’d like to see the numbers.