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Portland Trail Blazers center Festus Ezeli suffered a setback in his recovery from a left knee procedure, according to CSNNW.com's Jason Quick. He practiced with the team twice in October, but the knee swelled up and he hasn't been able to do a lot on the court since:

"I practiced, and that's what happens sometimes - it reacts, swells up, you go back, regress and come back,'' Ezeli said Tuesday night before the Blazers game with Phoenix.

Ezeli, who in late August had an injection of bone marrow aspirate, was originally scheduled to be out six weeks, which would have put him back in action around the first week of October.

He said he took part in the two practices in mid-October, playing halfcourt in both workouts. Since then, when he has participated it has been in 5-versus-0 drills.

"I'm just continuing to work and grind through this rehab,'' Ezeli said. "That's all I can do.''

Festus Ezeli at media day
Festus Ezeli won't suit up for Portland anytime soon. USATSI

If Ezeli becomes a part of the Blazers' rotation this season, it will be considered a bonus. That's why they have a platoon of big men -- Mason Plumlee, Ed Davis, Meyers Leonard and Noah Vonleh -- on the roster. Everybody in the league knew last summer Ezeli's his injured knee made him a risky signing, which explains why he signed a two-year, $15 million deal when guys like Timofey Mozgov and Ian Mahinmi signed for four years and more than double his annual salary.

Portland has no timetable for Ezeli's return, and the situation has to be extremely frustrating for him. This time last season, his athleticism and improved basketball IQ were on display with the best show in sports, leading ESPN's Ethan Sherwood Strauss to forecast a "massive payday" in restricted free agency and wonder if he could supplant Andrew Bogut as the Golden State Warriors' starting center. Now Ezeli is in limbo, an unfortunate reminder that things can change extremely quickly in the NBA, especially when injuries are involved.