HOOPSWORLD has learned that Trevor Ariza of the Los Angeles Lakers has been cleared by a second independent doctor. Sidelined for months with a broken foot, Ariza has now sought out two additional opinions hoping to get back on the floor to help the team in its ongoing playoff run.
The Lakers' physician has been conservative as Ariza's CT Scan still shows a line on the bone which is normally interpreted as an unhealed fracture.
Ariza recently saw a doctor in Utah who postulated that the bone has indeed healed and that the line may never fully disappear.
The recent third opinion concurred which sends the ultimate decision to the Lakers who are inherently conservative when it comes to long term health of their players. To date they haven't been willing to put Ariza in harm's way, even for the ongoing playoff push.
At this point it's not clear what the team will do with the additional medical opinion. From Ariza's perspective, he's good to go and feels no discomfort or limitation of any kind.
One thing to note is that opinions from even the most highly respected doctors are subjective. If they prove to be incorrect, Ariza could have some serious long-term implications.
The final decision from Laker management should be made in the coming days.
More as it develops . . .
