**Blake Wesley Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 8-12 Weeks**
The Portland Trail Blazers announced on November 5 that guard Blake Wesley underwent surgery to repair a fracture of the fifth metatarsal base in his right foot. He is expected to miss 8 to 12 weeks as he begins rehabilitation immediately. The procedure was performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.
### How Blake Wesley Got Hurt
Wesley suffered the injury during the October 31 win over the Denver Nuggets at the Moda Center. He knocked down a 16-foot fadeaway shot with 3:52 left in the second quarter but then landed awkwardly and stayed down as Aaron Gordon scored on a dunk at the other end. Play stopped, and Portland’s training staff attended to Wesley, who limped to the locker room under his own power. He did not return after halftime.
Initial team guidance over the weekend listed him as out indefinitely, with imaging confirming a fracture of the long bone on the outside of the foot that connects to the little toe. Wednesday’s update provided the first concrete timetable, placing his return window at roughly two to three months (8-12 weeks) from the November 5 surgery date.
### Wesley’s Role and Early Impact
The 22-year-old reserve point guard had carved out a niche early this season, averaging 6.0 points, 3.2 assists, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in 16.3 minutes across six games. He has flashed impressive baseline-to-baseline pressure defense, creating multiple eight-second violations and consistent deflections. These contributions have been a huge factor in Portland’s 4-3 start to the season, particularly within the team’s full-court pressure packages.
### Impact on Portland’s Guard Rotation
Wesley’s absence further strains Portland’s backcourt. Starting point guard Scoot Henderson has been sidelined since late September with a left hamstring tear sustained during an offseason workout. While the team initially projected a four to eight-week return-to-activity window on September 26, activity clearance does not necessarily translate to game-readiness, so caution remains.
Meanwhile, wing defender Matisse Thybulle underwent surgery last week to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb. He is expected to be re-evaluated in four to six weeks.
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The loss of Wesley could lead to increased playing time for rookie Caleb Love and may signal new lineup adjustments for interim head coach Tiago Splitter. In Portland’s most recent game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Splitter experimented with both Love and Sidy Cissoko, the latter playing his most significant minutes of the season.
The bigger concern is the defensive drop-off. Wesley’s pickup-point pressure generated early-clock turnovers, with multiple steals recorded in five of his six games. This enabled Portland to run fast-break opportunities off live-ball changes. Replicating this with a committee of players will be a considerable challenge.
### Timeline & What’s Next
Counting forward from the surgery date of November 5, an eight-week return timeline points to early January, while a full 12-week recovery could push his return into late January or early February. Until then, Splitter and his staff will likely rely on a defensive-by-committee approach to preserve the full-court identity that Wesley helped ignite.
### Background on Blake Wesley
Wesley joined Portland this summer after beginning his NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs, who selected him as the No. 25 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He briefly passed through Washington in July before signing with the Trail Blazers on July 21. His high-motor defensive play has translated quickly in his first six games with Portland.
### Big-Picture Takeaway
With Henderson’s ongoing recovery and Thybulle’s multi-week absence, Portland’s guard depth is thin. If the Blazers can continue to force turnovers without Wesley’s on-ball defensive pressure, they should be able to maintain stability. However, if their defensive intensity wanes, improved half-court execution will be essential. Regardless, Wednesday’s announcement of successful surgery offers the clarity the locker room needed—a clear timetable and rehab plan, not an indefinite uncertainty.
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