On Aug. 10, forward Patrick Patterson had arthroscopic surgery to fix an issue with his left knee. The Oklahoma City Thunder gave a four-to-six week timeline for Patterson's first evaluation and with training camp opening in six days, Patterson said the knee is feeling better and won't rush back until he's fully fit.
"Hopefully next week I'll be right there with the team," Patterson told The Oklahoman. "But my main focus is to be 100 percent by the time the regular season rolls around."
The Thunder signed Patterson to a three-year, $16.35 million contract on July 10. Patterson is expected to start at power forward when he's cleared to play.
"In my mind, yeah, I feel 100 percent confident I'll be 100 percent healthy by the time the season rolls around," Patterson said. "That's in my mind, but it all comes down to how my body feels."
-- Nick Silva