Blake Griffin Projects Being 100 Percent as Soon as May

LOS ANGELES -- Hey, if the Los Angeles Clippers make the NBA Finals, perhaps Blake Griffin will be available.

We all know that's not going to happen. But Griffin, the Clippers forward who is out the entire season and had Jan. 20 surgery to repair a broken left kneecap, had encouraging information Thursday when asked when he will be back to 100 percent.

"Probably sometime in like May,'' Griffin, the NBA's No. 1 pick last June, said in an interview with FanHouse. "At least I'll be able to do workouts without restrictions.''

When Griffin underwent surgery, the Clippers projected he would be out four to six months. Although Griffin later said he didn't know it will be May for sure and Clippers coach Kim Hughes said "June would be more realistic,'' it at least shows the possibility of Griffin being in good shape when the Clippers draft again in the lottery.

"I'm doing rehab and trying to get back and get ready to take that first step,'' Griffin said. "We're kind of taking it week by week. There's no reason to rush. It's not like I have to be back at a certain point. I'll have all summer to work out.''

So it sounds as if Griffin isn't projecting a run to the Finals by the Clippers (24-33), 8 1/2 games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.

After being hurt in the Clippers' final preseason game, Griffin initially was projected to return to action sometime in January. But the Clippers announced Jan. 13 Griffin was done for the season and would undergo surgery.

"I kind of had a feeling in the back of my mind that (surgery) would have to be an option,'' Griffin said. "So that kind of helped me deal with and prepare for it a little bit. I had an MRI and a CT scan in December and it wasn't completely where we wanted it to be but there was still a chance either way. So it was kind of 50-50 in my mind.''

That 50-50 soon turned 0-100 about playing or not playing.

"It's tough,'' Griffin said of sitting out. "But it's kind of like the beginning of the season prepared me for now. I sat and watched the whole beginning of the season, waiting to come back and play. I'm still doing the same thing. It's just kind of extended it a little bit.''

"The best thing about it is I'm taking care of it. I'm moving forward. I won't have that piece in my knee that could possibly give me trouble."
- Blake Griffin Griffin said missing the entire season could turn out to be a blessing in disguise rather than having come back and perhaps suffered a setback.

"The best thing about it is I'm taking care of it,'' Griffin said. "I'm moving forward. I won't have that piece in my knee that could possibly give me trouble.''

Griffin and Hughes both said it remains to be seen whether the power forward will play in the summer league. Hughes, though, cautioned it won't be an easy road back even though Griffin now feels his rehabilitation is going well.

"I think he's frustrated, but I think he's positive,'' Hughes said. "I think he's still excited about next year. I think he can be a monster next year. The only limiting factor is, for whatever reason, whatever function they did to glue back together his kneecap doesn't function. But I would surmise he'll be fine.

"Does he have enough practices before summer league to get his body right (will determine if he plays in the summer league). He should not play summer league if his body is not right for it. Physically. Timing. He's going to be out of basketball basically for a year. So he's got to get his body right. It's the first time he's taken a step back from playing basketball so it's going to be tough to return to some of the things. It's going to be a shock for him.''

But it's not as if Griffin hasn't already had his share of shocks when it comes to life in the NBA.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com and on Twitter @christomasson