New Jersey Nets power forward Troy Murphy has a lower back injury that will leave him sidelined indefinitely.
From SI.com:
The Nets says an MRI performed Friday confirmed a low back strain and inflammation. Murphy will not accompany the Nets on their upcoming trip to Russia and China. He will be reevaluated when the team returns.
The New Jersey native was acquired this summer as part of a four-team deal. He has averaged 12.1 points and 8.6 rebounds in his previous nine seasons. His best season came in 2004-05 with the Warriors, when he averaged 15.4 points and 10.8 rebounds.
The New York Daily News says this is bad news for New Jersey.
Lower back injuries linger, as many NBA players can attest, and Murphy, 30, will need plenty of rest. This wouldn’t seem like such a disaster if Derrick Favors wasn’t coming off consecutive performances that showed he’s nowhere near ready to start in the NBA. And this wouldn’t be so tough to swallow if the Carmelo Anthony trade wasn’t held up, in part, because the Nets didn’t want to give up Murphy for an injured Kenyon Martin.