Festus Ezeli
C FA
Mon 3/1/21 2:21 PM

Ezeli signed with the Westchester Knicks of the G League on Monday, Marc Stein of ESPN reports.
EDGE Analysis
Ezeli was a member of the Warriors' championship team in 2015, but injuries quickly forced him out of the league following the 2015-16 campaign. The 31-year-old is looking to make an NBA comeback, and he'll begin his journey in the Orlando G League bubble. In his final season with the Warriors, Ezeli averaged 7.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 16.7 minutes.

Festus Ezeli
C FA
Tue 4/25/17 6:12 PM

Trail Blazers' GM Neil Olshey said Ezeli's contract for the 2017-18 season won't be guaranteed, making him an unrestricted free agent, Joe Freeman of The Oregonian reports.
EDGE Analysis
Ezeli was expected to bring the Trail Blazers a much-needed defensive presence in the frontcourt this past season, but a previous left knee injury continued to hamper his availability to take the court. Despite originally expecting to miss just six weeks after receiving a pain injection early in year, Ezeli eventually suffered a setback in his rehab and would go on to miss the entire 2016-17 campaign, finishing with yet another season-ending surgery in March. With a non-guaranteed $7.73 million contract for next season on tap, GM Neil Olshey wasted no time making the decision to drop him, as just a day after the Trail Blazers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Warriors, he announced the team wouldn't keep Ezeli around. Ezeli will be an unrestricted free agent and can sign with anyone, although his most recent knee surgery could hold him out for a good chunk of the 2017-18 season as well, which will likely keep most teams away for the time being.

Festus Ezeli
C FA
Sun 3/12/17 1:53 PM

Ezeli (knee) underwent season-ending surgery Wednesday.
EDGE Analysis
Ezeli never suited up with the Trail Blazers this season, as the left knee troubles surfaced almost immediately after he signed with the team in the summer. The 27-year-old's procedure reportedly required the use of a cadaver donor and is more intricate than most knee surgeries, so it appears likely that Ezeli may require a longer recovery time that could sideline him for much of the 2017-18 campaign. Expect the Trail Blazers to decline their $7.73 million team option on the center this offseason.

Festus Ezeli
C FA
Sun 3/5/17 11:19 AM

Ezeli (knee), who is set to undergo season-ending surgery during the upcoming week, could require up to a year to recover from the procedure, ESPN.com's Chris Haynes reports.
EDGE Analysis
Ezeli has been plagued by knee trouble throughout his brief NBA career, previously requiring surgery on both knees during his time with the Warriors. Shortly after signing a two-year deal with the Trail Blazers in the offseason, Ezeli required injections in his left knee that ultimately failed to ease the pain, forcing him to undergo another procedure. His impending surgery is expected to require the use of a cadaver donor, which will likely result in a longer recovery timetable than most knee operations. With that in mind, it seems rather unlikely that the Trail Blazers will exercise Ezeli's $7.7 million team option for 2017-18, and the center figures to remain unsigned until he's fully recovered from surgery.

Festus Ezeli
C FA
Sat 3/4/17 7:01 PM

Ezeli will undergo surgery on his left knee during the week of Mar. 6, ending his season.
EDGE Analysis
Ezeli will end his season not having played a game for the Trail Blazers, who were hoping his presence would bolster their frontline. It's unclear what his role will be in Portland next season, as the Trail Blazers traded for center Jusif Nurkic before the deadline, and he's gelled well with the team.

Festus Ezeli
C FA
Tue 1/17/17 12:12 PM

Ezeli isn't traveling on the Blazers' current four-game road trip, but his agent indicated that the center isn't facing an impending surgery on his ailing left knee, Jason Quick of CSN Northwest reports.
EDGE Analysis
With Ezeli making limited progress since undergoing a pair of injections in his left knee in August after previously requiring surgery on the knee in February, the Trail Blazers have provided minimal updates on the big man's condition and continue to list him as out indefinitely. Ezeli still seems hopeful to avoid season-ending surgery, but given that he's not yet working out and is far behind the curve from a conditioning standpoint, it appears that a return well after the All-Star break is a best-case scenario for the 27-year-old.

Festus Ezeli
C FA
Sat 12/17/16 5:50 PM

Ezeli (knee) is reportedly considering undergoing a season-ending procedure on his left knee, ESPN reports.
EDGE Analysis
Ezeli is yet to play this season after signing with the Trail Blazers as a free agent, and he missed all of training camp, as well as the preseason, following an offseason procedure on the knee. With progress apparently stagnating, Ezeli is considering another procedure, though at this point no decision has been made. Neither the Blazers nor Ezeli have offered comment, however Ezeli has been traveling with the team in recent weeks, which was thought to be an encouraging sign.

Festus Ezeli
C FA
Tue 11/15/16 8:47 PM

Ezeli (knee) will not be with the Blazers on their upcoming road trip and will be seeking another medical opinion on his injury in the near future, Jason Quick of CSN Northwest reports
EDGE Analysis
Ezeli reportedly suffered a setback with his injury back in October and has been sidelined ever since. He's dealing with chronic knee pain, but received an injection during the offseason that was supposed to address the issue. That said, he'll continue to be away from the team moving forward and is slated to have his knee reevaluated while the team goes on their upcoming road trip. He's yet to be given any sort of concrete timetable for a return, so consider him week-to-week until more information is provided.

Festus Ezeli
C FA
Wed 11/9/16 12:34 PM

Ezeli experienced a minor setback in October during his comeback from a left knee procedure, Jason Quick of CSN Northwest reports.
EDGE Analysis
Ezeli indicated that he experienced swelling in the knee when he took part in back-to-back practices in mid-October, which prompted the Trail Blazers to slow down his rehab effort. The center, who had required an injection back in August to address his chronic knee pain, was initially expected to be available for the start of the season, but the setback looks like it could delay his return until December or later. The Trail Blazers haven't outlined an official timetable for Ezeli, and likely won't until he's cleared to resume full-contact practices.

Festus Ezeli
C FA
Wed 11/2/16 4:49 PM

Ezeli (knee) remains without a timetable for a return, CSN Northwest's Jason Quick reports.
EDGE Analysis
Since undergoing a procedure on his left knee in August, Ezeli's activity has remained very limited, with the center doing little more than light running and shooting and some involvement in five-on-zero drills. Until Ezeli starts taking contact in practice, a return shouldn't be viewed as forthcoming, and based on how primitive his activity remains, it wouldn't be surprising if he was sidelined for several more weeks. Ed Davis should enjoy some longevity as the Blazers' main backup center while Ezeli is out.