The first day of 2010 brought the Supersonics an unpleasant New Year's gift.
It was discovered that Brandon Roy had a meniscal tear after being examined, and moreover, the knee that was injured this time was not the same one that had undergone ACL surgery in the past.
If there was anything fortunate, it was that the current environment for Roy was better than in his previous life.
In his previous life, Roy had suffered the meniscal tear during the playoffs. He mistakenly believed in the heroic tales of playing through an injury, forgetting that there was only one Willis Reed. Even Reed, after the "Reed's Return" battle, was never the same again.
Roy opted for conservative treatment and returned to the playoffs eight days later, eventually exacerbating his injury. Both knees had their menisci removed, and by 2012, he had ended his professional career.
Now, Roy was important to the Supersonics.
He was the key to Yu Fei's transformation.
But was he irreplaceable?