Blazers' Fernandez out 4-6 weeks following surgery

Portland Trail Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez is expected to miss 4-6 weeks after undergoing a microdisectomy today to relieve pressure from a nerve root in his back that is causing right-leg pain, the team said.

The 6-foot-6, 185-pound Fernandez has been dealing with back pain since training camp, when he missed five preseason games.



“The procedure was successful and we can now turn our attention to getting Rudy healthy and back on the court,” Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said in a press release. “He’s been under a lot of pain and we look forward to Rudy returning healthier than ever.”

Dr. George Shanno performed the procedure at Southwest Washington Regional Surgery Center in Vancouver.

Fernandez was a late scratch from the lineup before Portland’s 90-89 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday at the Rose Garden. He underwent a magnetic resonance imaging test that night, and did not travel with the team for its current four-game road trip.



Fernandez is averaging 8.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists for the Blazers (13-9) this season.

Serving as the team’s back-up shooting guard, Fernandez has shot 42.4 percent from the field and 38.8 percent behind the 3-point line.



Fernandez, 24, is a native of Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and is in his second NBA season. He averaged 10.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists as a rookie, and shot 39.9 percent beyond the arc.



Portland now has nine active players on its roster. Center Greg Oden is out for the season due to knee surgery, while forward Nicolas Batum (shoulder) is not expected to return until February, and forward Travis Outlaw (foot) is out until at least March. In addition, forward Jeff Pendergraph (hip) and guard Patty Mills (foot) are also out of action due to injuries.



The Blazers, who have lost four out of their last five games, face the Indiana Pacers at 4 p.m. Wednesday.