Luckless Australian Matisse Thybulle has undergone thumb surgery and will miss at least a month of the NBA season.
Thybulle tore a ligament in his left thumb during Portland's match against Utah on Wednesday (local time) in Salt Lake City.
Follow-up scans confirmed he needed an operation.
The Trail Blazers, whose campaign has been overshadowed by last week's shock arrest of coach Chauncey Billups after he was allegedly involved in rigged poker games tied to the mafia, say Thybulle will be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks.
The talented 28-year-old, who was a controversial omission from the Boomers squad for the Paris Olympics, is the forgotten man of Australia's NBA stocks.
Thybulle missed the vast majority of the previous season because of knee and ankle injuries.
He was also sidelined from the start of Portland's recent pre-season campaign because of a knee issue.
The former first-round draft pick, renowned for his defensive efforts, returned to full fitness and played in Portland's season-opener against Minnesota.
Thybulle is averaging 5.0 points, 1.0 rebound, 0.8 assists and 2.5 steals in four games this season, all off the bench.
The versatile guard/forward opted to stay with Portland for the final year of his three-season deal, exercising an option" worth approximately $A17.6 million.
