Knee Surgery to Sideline Woolridge at Least 3 Weeks

Forward Orlando Woolridge will be out of action a minimum of three weeks after bone chips were removed from his right knee during arthroscopic surgery Tuesday at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, the Lakers announced.

Woolridge, James Worthy’s backup at small forward, will likely miss at least the first week of the National Basketball Assn. season, which starts Nov. 3. However, the Lakers said they do not expect Woolridge to miss a significant portion of the season.

Laker General Manager Jerry West said he was relieved at the result of what Laker physician Stephen Lombardo termed diagnostic arthroscopy. The Lakers had feared that Woolridge might have suffered cartilage damage.

“We felt all along that it wasn’t anything major, but we had to find out what it was,” West said. “Obviously, this is a lot better than hearing (Woolridge) will be out six to eight weeks or something. Hopefully, we’ll have him back soon.”

Woolridge has been bothered by pain and swelling since training camp. He had fluid drained from his right knee twice and played in one of the Lakers’ five exhibition games.