Report: Rockets' Beverley may require knee surgery

Houston Rockets point guard Patrick Beverley may need to go under the knife to fix his left knee, according to ESPN's Calvin Watkins.

The 28-year-old defensive specialist has been out of the lineup for Houston's last four preseason games as he deals with knee irritation. He'll undergo further evaluation over the course of the week before a final decision is made.

Head coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters Tuesday that Beverley likely won't be ready for the team's Oct. 26 season opener, when the Rockets take on the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center.

This plan is for All-Star James Harden to run the point this season, which would shift Beverley into a reserve role after he started 63 of 71 games during the 2015-16 campaign.

Beverley averaged 9.9 points and tied his career high with 3.4 assists, while shooting 43.4 percent from the field and 40 percent from deep for the 41-41 Rockets.