It appears the Toronto Raptors will be without Fred VanVleet for the next five weeks as the guard will reportedly undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in his left thumb, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
It was originally reported Monday that VanVleet would be out at least three weeks, with the 24-year-old set to don a splint after suffering the thumb injury during Toronto’s Saturday night win over the New York Knicks.
An extended absence for VanVleet makes the arrival of Jeremy Lin even more significant, with Lin now set to slot in right behind Kyle Lowry. The former Atlanta Hawk is expected to officially sign with the Raptors as soon as he clears waivers at 5 p.m. ET Wednesday, potentially debuting as soon as Wednesday’s meeting with the Washington Wizards.
Toronto also has Jordan Loyd and Patrick McCaw in the fold to fill out the team’s depth at the guard position until VanVleet is able to return.
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