Pelicans' Darius Miller Underwent Surgery on Ruptured Achilles, to Miss 7-8 Months

Miller suffered the injury while playing 3-on-3 basketball.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Darius Miller is expected to miss seven to eight months after undergoing surgery on a ruptured right Achilles tendon, the team announced on Thursday.

Miller, 29, made 69 appearances (15 starts) with the Pelicans last season, averaging 8.2 points on 39% shooting from the field, 2.1 assists and 1.9 rebounds. The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward returned to the Pelicans roster two years ago after a three-season stint overseas. He played in all but 13 regular season games in since the start of the 2017-18 campaign.

Miller signed a two-year, $14.2 million deal with New Orleans in July.

According to ESPN's Malika Andrews, Miller suffered the Achilles injury while playing 3-on-3 basketball. He is scheduled to start rehab next week and begin practicing in five to six months.

On Wednesday, ESPN's Marc J. Spears reported that the Pelicans were one of several teams interested in former NBA All-Star and BIG3 MVP Joe Johnson, who could step in during Miller's absence. Johnson averaged 16 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game during his time in the league.

The Pelicans finished the 2018 season with a 33–49 record.