Cam Johnson has undergone surgery on his hip

Well, it was quite the day of press releases for Cameron Johnson. Along with the very welcome news that Cam will be returning to UNC for his last year of eligibility came the report that he underwent a procedure for his injured hip on Wednesday. This of course follows the surgery that Cam had to repair his torn meniscus last season, causing him to miss the opening games.

An arthroscopic hip procedure is a “minimally invasive” one (a phrase that Celtics fans, at least, are sick to death of hearing) and according to team sources Cam is expected back at full strength by the start of the 2018-19 season. It is unknown to what extent he will be able to participate in summer workouts and pickup games.

Also to be considered is that this report confirms what many suspected during this past season: Cam was, even when playing, operating at less than 100%, especially as the season wore on. For all his strong shooting, heads-up play, and floor-stretching versatility, he often looked a step slow against quicker wings, particularly on the defensive end. Johnson deserves a lot of credit for toughing it out that way he did and making such a valuable contribution in 2017-18.

If this procedure allows him to reach his full capabilities, it’ll be real interesting to see what the 2019 season has in store for Cam Johnson.