PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Trail Blazers may hold second-year guard Brandon Roy out of preseason games after he injured his left heel in practice, according to a report in The Oregonian on Thursday.

Roy, who felt a sharp pain in his heel after completing a fast-break layup in Portland’s first practice of 2007-08, reportedly hurt the same foot that kept him out of 20 of the first 25 games last season.

Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan said to the newspaper Wednesday that he is leaning toward keeping the reigning Rookie of the Year out of the eight preseason games before the regular season begins on October 30.

“Right now, my thought is he won’t play in the preseason,” McMillan told The Oregonian.  “The exhibition schedule is not important.  What is important is that we have him for the season.”

The 6-6, 211-pound Roy said in the report McMillan informed him of the plan late Tuesday, but thinks he can convince his coach to put him into some exhibition contests.

“Nate sounded firm with me about it, but that was Tuesday,” Roy said.  “I think we will talk about it.  I don’t want to go into the season opener against San Antonio and have it be my first game.  I definitely want to get some run in and get a rhythm of being on the floor.”

After Roy was injured, an MRI revealed an irritation caused by the talus bone near his heel, the report said.  The newspaper also reported that Roy said he is taking anti-inflammatory medicine and plans to return to practice Friday.

The same problem first surfaced last November and caused the 23-year-old Roy to have to wear a walking boot and miss 20 games.  However, he returned in December and did not miss another game because of the injury.

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“There’s not really a need for surgery right now,” Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard said.  “(The heel) is in a good place, and Brandon feels good.  We just have to monitor it.

“The thing you have to be concerned about with foot surgeries is they are a difficult injury.  There are a lot of things that can go wrong.  So, you protect the foot as much as you can.”

The Blazers have been hit hard by the injury bug this summer, losing No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden, who will have microfracture knee surgery and be out for the season.

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