Anthony Davis out for season, needs shoulder and knee surgeries

Anthony Davis’ season is over.

New Orleans Coach Alvin Gentry said Sunday that the team will shut down the three-time All-Star for the remaining 14 games of the season.

The former University of Kentucky star has a left knee injury and a torn labrum in his left shoulder that will both require surgeries to repair.

Davis, who has averaged 24.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, had been playing with a shoulder injury for some time, and then he injured his knee in the Pelicans’ game Friday against Portland.

“We’re going to shut him down. He’s done for the year,” Gentry said, according to a report on the team’s website. “It’s unfortunate, but he’s got an issue with his shoulder that he’s played with the whole season. It’s amazing when people talk about him being soft or whatever; they don’t understand that he’s played through a situation with his shoulder the entire season.”

Gentry said Davis, who had led the Pelicans in scoring 37 times and rebounding 38 times in the 61 games he played, is “very disappointed” to have to end his season early.

“He loves playing and wants to be good,” Gentry said. “He feels a huge obligation to try to make this team better, try to get them back to where they were last year, making the playoffs. The reality of it all is the injuries have decimated our season. All we can do is continue to play hard and try to regroup.”

Gentry did not go into specifics about Davis’ injuries.

“He has an issue with his knee that we’re going to get corrected,” Gentry said. “I think for us, we have to look at things long term, and we have to look at what’s best for the future of our franchise. For that reason, he won’t play any more this season.

“It’s something that needs to be done and needs time to heal,” Gentry said of the knee injury. “The same thing with his shoulder. I’m sure you can find out from the doctors or the trainers, but I don’t really want to get into it and try to explain all the aspects of it (from a medical expertise standpoint).”

When asked whether the injuries could impact Davis’ potential participation in the Olympics this year, Gentry said he wasn’t sure, “but if I was a betting man, probably so.”

This story was originally published March 20, 2016 at 5:34 PM with the headline "Anthony Davis out for season, needs shoulder and knee surgeries."