NBA notes: Spurs’ Ginobili to undergo ankle surgery next week

SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, who helped lead Argentina to a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics, needs surgery to repair a ligament injury in his left ankle.

The Spurs said Friday that Ginobili will undergo surgery next week. The team will announce a timeline for his return after the surgery.

Ginobili said an MRI of his ankle showed no improvement from a previous exam two months ago. He led the Spurs in scoring last season (19.5 points) and won the NBA’s Sixth Man award.

“They’re going to operate on me,” the 31-year-old Ginobili told Argentina’s La Nacion newspaper Friday. “It’s not worse, which is important. Now, the thing is, it’s not better either, and it seems like the only way to repair it completely is arthroscopic surgery.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich urged Ginobili not to compete in the Olympics unless the injury improved. But Ginobili was cleared to play and he not only competed in the games, but carried the flag for Argentina at the Opening Ceremonies in Beijing.

Ginobili hobbled off the court during Argentina’s loss to the United States in the semifinals. He did not play in Argentina’s bronze-medal win over Lithuania.

“My plan was to be part of the Olympic games, and I knew that if I suffered from pain, they would have to operate,” Ginobili told the newspaper. “This isn’t something that took me by surprise.”

KNICKS: The New York Knicks acquired rookie Patrick Ewing Jr. — son of former Knicks great Patrick Ewing — in a trade with the Houston Rockets on Friday. The Rockets received the rights to center Frederic Weis.

The 24-year-old Ewing averaged 6.1 points and 4.2 rebounds last season at Georgetown, winning the Big East Sixth Man of the Year award. He was selected by Sacramento with the 43rd pick in this year’s NBA draft and traded with Ron Artest to the Rockets on Aug. 14. Now, he’s on to New York, where his father was the Knicks’ center for 15 of his 17 NBA seasons.

New York drafted Weis with the 15th overall pick in 1999, passing on Ron Artest, Andrei Kirilenko and James Posey, among others. The 7-foot-2 center never joined the Knicks. Weis won a silver medal in the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and is currently playing for a Spanish club.

GRIZZLIES: The National Basketball Players Association suspended player agent Calvin Andrews for one year Friday for alleged recruiting improprieties regarding former Southern California standout O.J. Mayo, now a rookie with the Memphis Grizzlies. The union said its Disciplinary Committee has reserved the right to take further action against Andrews. Mayo and Andrews, of Bill Duffy Associates, parted ways in May. Mayo, who played one season at USC and was drafted third overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves and then traded to Memphis, has denied receiving improper funds. Mayo is now represented by Leon Rose, also LeBron James’ agent.