Clippers rookie guard Preston has foot surgery

The Clippers made it official Thursday: Jason Preston’s NBA debut will have to wait. For a while.

The rookie point guard underwent surgery Thursday in L.A. to repair ligaments in his right foot, a procedure that will sideline him for “an extended period of time,” with “no timetable for his return,” per the team.

“All apart of Gods Plan,” Preston wrote in a tweet. “Ready to attack this rehab head on and come back better than ever ... LETS GO.”

President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank said on Sept. 24 that Preston — the No. 33 overall draft pick with an inspiring story — had been hurt in a group workout the previous day.

“He’s made terrific progress, just his playmaking and pick-and-roll ability,” Frank said, noting “unfortunately yesterday in a group workout, he hurt his foot.

“So it could be a little bit of a setback for Jason,” Frank cautioned, “... but he’s made great progress up to, up to yesterday.”

Preston averaged 9.0 points on 43.9% shooting and 4.8 assists per game as he got more comfortable during Summer League play. In the Clippers’ final game in Las Vegas against Memphis’ Summer League squad, the 6-foot-4 Preston finished with 15 points and five assists.

Today: Clippers at Mavericks, 5;30p.m., No TV

The Clippers traded a 2026 second-round pick to the Orlando Magic to bring aboard Preston, a 21-yearold from Orlando who averaged just 2.2 points per game as a high school senior and almost retired from competitive basketball before one last AAU run changed the trajectory of his life. His play at that fateful tournament steered him toward Ohio University, a mid-major in Athens, and, from there, to the Clippers.

Ivica Zubac said Wednesday that Preston has remained as involved as possible since being injured.

“Jason is always on the sideline, watching the practices and just doing everything the team does except being on the floor with us,” Zubac said. “So he’s pretty involved and he’s asking a lot of questions and he’s ready to learn.”

Bledsoe sees Zu

There’s been buzz building this preseason about the Isaiah Hartenstein-Luke Kennard connection: The deft-passing big man who seems to see seams all over the court appears especially naturally attuned with the Clippers’ shooting guard.

But there’s also the budding working relationship between Eric Bledsoe and Zubac to watch.

The veteran guard was brought back to L.A. to feed the Clippers’ need for speed.

So when Bledsoe goes barreling toward the basket, putting defenders on their heels if not blowing past them entirely, get used to seeing Zubac, the 7-foot center, sprinting back behind him in support and at the ready.

Or as coach Tyronn Lue described Bledsoe’s assignment: “Just pushing the pace, pushing the tempo, being able to get into the paint at will and getting ‘Zu’ easy layups and dunks.”

Zubac, ever gracious, says thank you.

“Yeah, it’s been really good,” said Zubac, who took four shots in Wednesday’s preseason loss to the Sacramento Kings – three set up by passes from Bledsoe.

At Dallas

The Clippers’ third preseason game is Friday at 5:30 p.m. in Dallas against the Mavericks. It’s not scheduled to be televised locally, though it will be broadcast on the radio at 570 AM.

Tune in and you’ll hear play-by-play of a game that might not include Zubac, (who is questionable with a right shoulder strain) and that definitely won’t include five others who’ve been ruled out. Those Clippers: Nicolas Batum (rest) and Marcus Morris Sr. (rest), as well as Kawhi Leonard (rehabbing after July’s ACL surgery), Serge Ibaka (rehabbing after June’s back surgery), and Preston (the aforementioned foot surgery).