Barbosa Will Play In Opener, Surgery In Future

[Built Ford Tough]

Leandro Barbosa and his injured right wrist will be in the lineup Wednesday night when the Toronto Raptors open their season against the New York Knicks at the Air Canada Centre.

 

The question for how long and to what effect.

 

The speedy shooting guard has been a bright spot from the Raptors since arriving in Toronto in an off-season trade for Hedo Turkoglu, but he injured his right wrist in a fall in Montreal on Friday and said surgery is in his future, it’s just a question of timing.

 

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/basketball/barbosa-says-wrist-surgery-in-his-future/article1773771/

 

If he needs the surgery eventually, I almost think it would just be better to get it over and done with now, rather than have to deal with it halfway through the season or something. If he can play through it, I can understand the decision to put it off but by the sounds of it, surgery is inevitable and there is a good chance that this can have a negative effect on his play. I don't really see the point in trotting out a 70% Barbosa night in and night out considering the playoffs aren't in the Raptors future this year anyways, not to mention having players like DeRozan and Weems on the roster.

 

I think I'd rather see them just get it over with rather than let it linger on. Get it now, get healthy and then come back at 100% later in the season.