MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Redd is out for at least two weeks after straining a tendon in his left knee during the home opener.
Redd tore two ligaments in the same knee on Jan. 24 and missed the rest of last season, but said he felt healthy and stronger than ever coming into training camp.
Redd scored nine points in 23 minutes against Detroit on Saturday night before leaving in the third quarter. He underwent an MRI on the knee on Sunday and the team disclosed the extent of his injury Monday.
The 30-year-old Redd signed a new contract after the 2004-05 season, but has struggled to stay healthy since, missing 90 games over the past four seasons, primarily related to his left knee. He has a player option for $18.3 million in 2010-11.
Bucks general manager John Hammond also said Monday he has decided not to pick up a $2.76 million option on forward Joe Alexander's first NBA contract.
Alexander, a standout at West Virginia, was the eighth overall pick of the 2008 draft and Hammond's first pick as general manager after replacing Larry Harris. Hammond selected forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute in the second round of that draft and Mbah a Moute has turned out to be a key contributor.
Alexander, however, has been a bust after appearing in just 59 games off the bench his rookie season. He averaged 4.7 points and 1.9 rebounds last year and opened this season on the inactive list after re-aggravating a right hamstring strain. The injury will keep him out of play for at least eight weeks.
Hammond said it was a difficult decision to let Alexander go to free agency after this season.
"We believe Joe can be a good NBA player, but his latest injury had hampered our ability to further assess his progress," Hammond said in a statement. "Joe has missed valuable on-court development opportunities due to injury."
With the decision, Alexander will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
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