WASHINGTON (REUTERS) –Michael Jordan had successful arthroscopic surgery Wednesday that revealed torn lateral meniscus damage in his right knee, the Washington Wizards said.

“Michael will rest over the next few days, then begin therapy,” Wizards general manager Wes Unseld said. “At that point we will have an idea of the time frame for his return to action.”

The damage was the result of normal wear and tear, the Wizards said, forcing the five-time NBA most valuable player onto the injured list for the first time since the second season of his illustrious 14-year career.

The 39-year-old All-Star guard returned to the NBA this season after a three-year break, averaging 24.3 points and 6.0 rebounds a game.

He has had his knee drained four times this season.

With Jordan ailing, the Wizards (27-28) have dropped seven of their last eight games, including their last five, and have moved from the middle of the playoff pack in the Eastern Conference to the group fighting for a post-season berth.

Jordan sat out last Wednesday’s loss at Detroit with a sore knee. He played in a pair of games against Miami over the weekend and scored just 25 points, sitting out the final six-plus minutes of Sunday’s loss.

Washington, one of the league’s weakest clubs until Jordan arrived, heads into a crucial 30-day stretch where it plays 10 of 15 games on the road.

Replacing Jordan on the roster will be 6-foot-11 rookie forward Kwame Brown, who is averaging 3.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 33 games.

The Wizards made the 19-year-old Brown, out of Glynn Academy High School in Brunswick, Ga., the No. 1 selection in the NBA Draft last year.