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LA Clippers forward Paul George targeting November return

By Garrett Chorpenning

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 21: Paul George #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder warms up before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers during Round One Game Three of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 21, 2019 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. The Trail Blazers defeated the Thunder 111-98. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 21: Paul George #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder warms up before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers during Round One Game Three of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 21, 2019 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. The Trail Blazers defeated the Thunder 111-98. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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Paul George won’t be ready to play come Opening Night, but the LA Clippers’ newly-acquired forward is expecting to make his return in November.

LA Clippers fans, unfortunately, will not be able to see Paul George make his debut against Opening Night against the Los Angeles Lakers. However, they may not have to wait much longer than that.

According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, George’s return date is a “moving target” but he is hoping to return around November.

Assuming his return falls within the month, the Clippers would be without George anywhere from 2-5 weeks. LA’s 20th game of the season is scheduled for November 29.

It seems more likely that George’s return will come somewhere in the middle of that timeframe, so missing 10-15 games seems like a more realistic estimate as opposed to the full 20. Regardless, the Clippers will have George for a large majority of the regular season, and more importantly, the postseason.

George’s injury first occurred last season, just after the All-Star break. As the regular season came to a close, it was clear that he wasn’t the same player he was during the first several months of the year. His averages dipped virtually across the board, and once the postseason came around, those issues remained.

While George continues to recover, the Clippers should be able to rely comfortably on the rest of the roster. Kawhi Leonard will be leading a squad that won 48 games in the Western Conference last season, and new additions like Maurice Harkless and Rodney McGruder should make the bench even more of a force than it was before.

The Clippers will need to be ready to go right from the start in order to keep the ship afloat. Early season matchups include the aforementioned Lakers, as well as meetings with the Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz (twice), San Antonio Spurs, Milwaukee Bucks, and Houston Rockets.

During the Clippers’ Media Day, George stated that he is currently at about 85-90 percent strength. He also mentioned that although he will be participating in training camp this week, he will not be engaging in any contact drills.

Worst comes to worst, George will miss somewhere from 15-20 games. But even then, the Clippers will have a two-time Finals MVP and arguably the best player in basketball leading the team. It’s hard to complain about that scenario, even if LA is up against some of the league’s better teams during that stretch of time.

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With less than a week to go until preseason basketball begins, fans won’t have to wait long to see how the LA Clippers function without George on the floor.