The Jazz were dealt a major blow Friday when they learned backup center Jarron Collins has sustained a major blowout of his right knee.
"It's not good," said Kevin O'Connor, the Jazz's vice president of basketball operations.
Collins, examined Friday afternoon by Jazz orthopedist Dr. Lyle Mason, ruptured both the medial collateral and the anterior cruciate ligaments in the joint, in addition to tearing the medial meniscus, the crescent-shaped knee cartilage that absorbs weight and provides stability.
The second-season, second-round draft choice out of Stanford University is expected to be sidelined eight to nine months, meaning he's likely out until training camp next season, Jazz spokesman Kim Turner said Friday night.
O'Connor acted immediately to replace Collins on Utah's active roster, agreeing to sign well-traveled big man Tony Massenburg pending his passing a physical exam.
Massenburg — a 6-foot-9, 250-pound 35-year-old who has played for 10 franchises in 10 seasons, most recently the Vancouver-Memphis Grizzlies — is expected to arrive in town today but will not play for the Jazz tonight vs. Sacramento.
"Toughness (and) the fact he can defend in the post area," O'Connor said, asked why the Jazz tapped him.
In Collins, Massenburg will replace a 6-11, 255-pound 24-year-old rotation regular who was averaging 5.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 19.7 minutes per game before he was injured in the second quarter of Utah's 93-88 loss to New Orleans on Thursday night.
Collins jumped while trying to block a jumper from the left corner by Hornets center Elden Campbell and later said he felt something "shift" as he came down and his knee struck Campbell's knee.
"(Collins) came down with his full force into (Campbell's) knee," Turner said.
Surgery plans were not immediately known.
"Is he going to have surgery? Yes," O'Connor said. "When, where . . . who, we have no idea yet."
This much is certain: Collins faces a long road to recovery.
The medial collateral ligament (MCL) connects the femur (or thighbone) to the lower leg's tibia on the outside of the knee, providing medial stability to the joint. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which prevents hyperextension and excessive joint rotation, is the primary stabilizing within the center of the knee, also connecting femur to tibia.
The ACL is particularly susceptible to injury, including cases of a direct blow like the one Collins sustained. But the fact Collins tore both ligaments underscores the injury's severity.
Rehabilitation from the requisite reconstructive surgery is particularly grueling, though it's likely Collins, who was signed to a two-year guaranteed contract last summer, can return next season.
"I feel bad for Jarron, but that's a part of sports you can't worry about," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said Friday morning. "Everybody would like to have a reason to feel sorry for themself . . . but if you have any toughness, you'll fight back."
Until Collins does, at least some of his usual minutes should go to Massenburg, who was waived prior to this season by the Grizzlies, with whom he spent four of the previous five seasons.
A University of Maryland product selected by San Antonio in the second round of the 1990 NBA Draft, Massenburg also has had stops with Charlotte (now New Orleans), Boston, Golden State, the Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto, Philadelphia, New Jersey and Houston.
A career 7-point scorer and 4.9-rebounder, he averaged 5.5 points and 4.4 boards in 17.1 minutes over 73 games last season for the Grizzlies, who released him as part of a Memphis youth movement.
The Jazz, however, won't count only on Massenburg to pick up the pieces left behind by Collins, who, after starting much of last season and seven games at the beginning of this season, recently had been coming off the bench behind Greg Ostertag.
"I don't worry about that," Sloan said. "I always find out who wants to play, and they'll take care of the minutes.
"Somebody will step to the forefront, and maybe get a chance to play a little bit more. Or we have to play a different kind of lineup and try to adjust that way."
The Jazz did consider other options besides Massenburg, who is believed to have agreed to a one-year contract for the veteran's minimum, a pro-rated $1.03 million. The deal would not become guaranteed until Jan. 10, meaning Utah could waive him before then without being on the hook for the full deal, should things not work out.
Rookie center Curtis Borchardt remains on the injured list recovering from pin-replacement foot surgery, so he was not considered. Neither, it is thought, was ex-Jazz center Olden Polynice, currently out of the NBA.
One possibility that was contemplated: 7-footer Paul Grant, who was in Utah's October training camp, but who has only six games of NBA experience. Another may have been veteran Horace Grant, waived recently by Orlando and still slowed by offseason knee surgery.
"Paul Grant was on the short list," O'Connor said, "but we just wanted to go with a veteran."
Meanwhile, Utah's opponent tonight is awfully beat up itself. Sacramento has played all season without usual starting point Mike Bibby, due to a broken foot. Also out: Murray-born big man Scot Pollard, who has a lower-back stress fracture. Shooter Hedo Turkoglu, however, was activated from the injured list Friday after being out with a sprained wrist. Also, starting small forward Peja Stojakovic returned for Tuesday's loss to Houston after missing nine games with a heel injury.
E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com