Serge Ibaka had knee surgery in mid-March and was expected to be sidelined four to six weeks.
Nineteen weeks later, the Thunder power forward – who was named to Team Africa for the NBA’s first exhibition game on the continent – reportedly still isn’t ready to play.
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports:
Thunder big man Serge Ibaka is in Johannesburg, S. Africa for @NBAAfrica Game on Saturday, but he has not been cleared to play, sources said
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 28, 2015
That’s a little concerning, though it shouldn’t cause panic for a couple reasons:
1. There’s still plenty of time before training camp opens.
2. Ibaka’s originally scheduled return was right around playoff time. There should be a higher standard of clearance for an exhibition game than a postseason game. It’s unclear whether Ibaka could play if this contest had higher stakes.
Still, it’s obviously not great news that Ibaka isn’t cleared.
The Thunder have been sidetracked in recent years by injuries to Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Ibaka isn’t at their level, but his defense and floor spacing means a lot to Oklahoma City. Ibaka is just a tick below All-Star level.
If everyone is healthy, the Thunder should contend for a championship. Once again, though, the status of at least one of their top players is in doubt.
At least, this time, it’s in the summer rather than spring.