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After enduring a week without progress, Jazz guard Deron Williams sought a second opinion Wednesday.
The All-Star player saw a specialist to determine the status of a strained tendon in his right wrist that has forced him to miss four consecutive games. Williams was not in uniform Wednesday night for Utah's contest against Houston at EnergySolutions Arena.
The Jazz announced after tipoff versus the Rockets that Steve Huish's evaluation of Williams' right wrist and a magnetic imaging exam taken of the wrist confirmed a strained tendon. Williams is day-to-day, and treatment of his injury will remain the same.
Huish previously has evaluated Jazz forward Paul Millsap and ex-Utah guard Kyle Korver.
Williams injured his wrist Jan. 26 during a home loss to San Antonio. Dealing with what was originally diagnosed as a hyperextension, he played through the discomfort to score a season-high 39 points.
He has not played since.
"I just thought it'd be healed by now," said Williams, following a Wednesday morning shootaround at ESA.
Williams said that the injury is unique when compared to past wrist issues he has dealt with.
Despite being a week into his recovery, his range of motion has not improved and he is still dealing with pain. Any on-the-court action that requires a flick of the wrist is almost impossible.
"It's a different type of pain," said Williams, who has been forced to wear a soft cast due to the injury. "I can't shoot the basketball past 12 feet, and it hurts a lot when I do that."
An MRI taken last Thursday of Williams' wrist was negative. But he acknowledged feeling a "pop" when the injury first occurred, which happened while fighting Spurs guard George Hill for a loose ball.
Williams was initially informed that a tendon in his wrist had stretched. He was then advised that soft tissue injuries tend to heal slower than bone bruises, which is what he dealt with last season.
Asked what his wrist treatments have consisted of thus far, Williams said "everything."
"We tried to do a lot of movement stuff, but it seemed like it was making it more sore; it was stretching it out. We backed off that," Williams said. "I've been in the brace pretty much, where I can move it except when we do treatments. So, I don't know. I'm going to this specialist, and maybe they can shoot it up somehow. I'll try anything to get back on the court. I hate sitting out practice, games, whatever."
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