The Los Angeles Lakers will be without All-Star point guard Nick Van Exel for at least three more weeks, but that's not necessarily bad news.

Van Exel underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Thursday, and it was discovered he had a small defect on the back of the kneecap that causes a popping sensation in the knee."This is a non-correctable problem which should not affect Van Exel's performance in the future," the team said. "Van Exel also had some bone fragments and scar tissue removed, which probably contributed to the problem."

Team physician Dr. Steve Lombardo performed the procedure, which lasted about 25 minutes. The Lakers said Van Exel will begin a rehabilitation program in the next 2-3 days and be sidelined a minimum of three more weeks.

Had any work to the bone, ligaments or tendons been necessary, recovery time would have no doubt been significantly longer.

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Van Exel, 26, hasn't played since Feb. 15 due to soreness and the popping sensation he felt in the knee.

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