Roberson rehab remains on track

LAS VEGAS — Andre

Roberson isn’t changing the timetable.

As he left his courtside seat late in Monday’s Thunder Summer League game, the Oklahoma City forward reiterated that his return from injury is happening when he’s always said it will.

“Training camp,” Roberson said.

It’s an optimistic outlook, but the one the Thunder is hoping for after Roberson ruptured the patellar tendon in his left knee in January. And Roberson remains on track, he said, to be ready for the start of the season.

On Monday, he had a workout with Thunder staff — and new teammate

Nerlens Noel — before OKC’s Summer League game, which Roberson watched from a front-row seat alongside Noel, coach Billy

Donovan and assistant general manager Troy Weaver.

When he’s on the court, Roberson can shoot “slight jump shots,” he said, and do some ball handling drills. He hasn’t run yet, but the plan was to try some Monday afternoon on an AlterG, an anti-gravity treadmill that lets athletes ease back into full-speed running during rehab.

“I’m just trying to come back with a positive mindset, a killer attitude,” Roberson said. “I’m injured but nothing’s wrong, so that’s good.”

Donovan said Roberson is “optimistic and upbeat” about his rehab. Still, the Thunder coach said he doesn’t want Roberson to rush his recovery.

“I’m going more of the mindset that we have to prepare without him, I think,” Donovan said. “Obviously his rehab’s going great, he’s doing great. But I think for him to go down like he did in January and not do anything, it’s gonna take him some time. And I don’t want him to feel pressure that he’s got to get back to work. It’s gonna take a process, so I want to be patient with him on that.”

Roberson, too, is trying to be patient. It’s not always easy. But as he nears six months from the injury, he can focus on where he’s going by considering where he’s been.

“I got through the hard part,” Roberson said. “I’m up walking around, being mobile, which kind of eases me at times. I always look back at the times where I was just laying in bed and I keep telling myself I’ve come a long way, so there’s nothing to be frustrated about.”

Midnight pitch

The Thunder had cause to celebrate on June 30, and Donovan planned to be there.

The party that announced Paul George’s decision to re-sign with Oklahoma City was a late-night affair on June 30, and Donovan was scheduled to attend.

But the Thunder wanted Noel, and he was willing to meet at the start of free agency.

So on June 30, Donovan flew from Los Angeles, where he'd been meeting with Thunder front-office staff, to Miami for a meeting. He arrived at around 6 p.m., got in a quick run, then met with Noel just after midnight in a hotel room to help make the Thunder’s pitch. He wasn’t alone.

Noel also got a call from George and Russell Westbrook at the party, and that conversation, coupled with an hourlong meeting from Donovan, helped seal the deal.

“They told me, ‘Let’s get it done,’ and ‘We want to do some special things this year,’ and I definitely felt where they were coming from,” Noel said. “I gave it a little thought. Just as much love as they showed, it became an easy decision.”

Tip-ins

PJ Dozier, who played last season on a two-way contract with the Thunder and its G League affiliate, the Blue, had 17 points, six rebounds and three assists in OKC’s 92-82 win against Toronto on Monday. Rashawn Thomas also had 17 points on 5-for-9 shooting, adding 12 rebounds. Rookie Kevin Hervey had 12 points and hit 3 of 4 3-pointers.

... Monday’s game ended the Thunder’s pool play schedule. OKC will practice on Tuesday, and Summer League tournament play starts Wednesday.