Jodie Meeks won’t be taking the floor with the Detroit Pistons anytime soon.
The 28-year-old guard hasn’t played since October 28 as he continues to recover from a broken right foot. And now, when it appeared that he might be nearing a return, Meeks must shut it down, per MLive.com’s David Mayo:
Jodie Meeks’ fears of a setback were real.
The Detroit Pistons guard’s broken right foot is not healed and he must stop practicing, as well as much of his running and other activities, he said Monday.
“I can shoot,” Meeks said of his new limitations.
Meeks said the foot was sore last week, after he resumed practice eight days ago. He learned Monday in a consultation with the surgeon who operated on him, Dr. Martin O’Malley, that the broken right fifth metatarsal has not healed.
The Pistons desperately need Meeks’ shooting. They’re hitting just 33.5 percent of their threes as a team, which ranks in the bottom 10 of the league. He gives their offense another dimension, as that spot-up assassin who can make opposing defenses pay for collapsing on drive-and-kicks and doubling Andre Drummond, when he decides to pass, in the post.
There’s still plenty of season left to play, so Meeks could very well make some progress through the All-Star break and return just in time to help the Pistons clinch their first playoff berth since 2009. Still, these types of foot injuries can be fickle, and if his foot isn’t healing properly now, that could portend more complications down the line.
