When the Milwaukee Bucks signed Larry Sanders to a four-year, $44 million contract extension last summer, it looked like a pretty good move.
Sanders showed throughout the 2012-13 season that he could be a highly impactful defensive player. He was just 24 years old (now 25), and the money was in line with other defense-first centers such as Tyson Chandler and JaVale McGee.
And nothing has gone right since.
In November, Sanders was involved in a bar fight in which he suffered a thumb injury that required surgery and cost him six weeks.
Upon returning, Sanders got into an argument with teammate Gary Neal that was so heated that neither player bothered to stop even though the media had entered the locker room.
And today comes word from the Bucks that Sanders will miss at least six more weeks after undergoing surgery Thursday to repair orbital bone fractures.
Sanders suffered the injury in Saturday’s loss to Houston when he was accidentally elbowed by James Harden. The surgery was done by Dr. Gerald J. Harris at the Eye Institute of the Medical College of Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospital.
The timetable means Sanders is out until at least late March. Given Milwaukee’s league-worst standing, he could be done for the season.
Sanders averaged career highs of 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks last season. Those numbers dropped to 7.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 23 games this season.
At least the extension doesn’t begin until next season.