Oklahoma City Thunder guard Andre Roberson does not appear to be close to a return to the court this season, according to Brett Dawson of The Athletic.
Head coach Billy Donovan told reporters at shootaround on Thursday that there has been no indication from the team’s medical staff that Roberson is close to a return.
Roberson has been seen running in his recovery but has not yet started participating with the team in practice. With the regular season winding down, Roberson may not suit up this season.
Roberson underwent surgery to repair a torn left patellar tendon in January of 2018 and was originally expected to be ready for the start of training camp in September. However, Roberson has since endured two setbacks in his recovery, delaying his return to the court.
Roberson suffered an avulsion fracture in his left knee in November that delayed his rehab by two months. In January, Donovan said that Roberson was not close to a return but the team remained optimistic that Roberson would be able to play this season.
The Thunder have not yet officially ruled out Roberson to play this season, leaving the door open that he could play should the team advance deep into the postseason. But, based on some recent play by the Thunder, a deep run is far from a guarantee.
The season has likely been frustrating for Roberson as he attempts to recover from such a devastating injury. Injuries to the patellar tendon most commonly happen to NFL players but, as some NBA players have shown over the years, recovery time varies.
As a result, the Thunder will continue to be cautious with his return and will not rush him back for the sake of playing. While he has certainly been known to be a great defender, the team does not want to risk further damage to his knee.
Roberson is under contract with the Thunder through the 2019-20 season.
