Eric Bledsoe has had an operation to remove the damaged piece of his meniscus, which means that he could return to the court for the Phoenix Suns in four to six weeks.

The 24-year-old was expected to be choosing the option to repair his meniscus but a change of plan could speed up his recovery, according to the Arizona Republic.

Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose decided to undergo surgery to repair a similar problem and his decision saw him ruled out for the remainder of the campaign, which Bledsoe and the Suns are eager to avoid.

"We were very pleased about the outcome of the surgery and look forward to Eric returning before the end of the season," Lon Babby, Phoenix's President of Basketball Operations, told reporters.

Bledsoe was out of action for four months when he suffered a similar injury in October 2011 during his time with the Los Angeles Clippers.