Paul George has surgery on torn rotator cuff while OKC Thunder guard Russell Westbrook fixes finger and cleans up his knee. It is no secret that Paul George has not been his normal self since late February, at the time he was considered an MVP caliber player and Defensive Player of the Year candidate. The falloff happened fast, and George nor the OKC Thunder were the same again this season. The speculation as to what is wrong with George’s shoulder has been all over the board since February. With each strip of KT Tape strapped across George’s shoulders holding them in place or attempting to, it led to bigger and bigger leaps by the OKC fan base. A definitive answer was forthcoming Tuesday afternoon via Adrian Wojnarowski who reported Paul George underwent rotator cuff surgery to repair a partially torn tendon in his right shoulder George will miss at least the start of the preseason training camp, and one can assume he will not be doing much of any offseason work. Before you exhale a sigh of relief let us remember what happened when Russell Westbrook was sidelined for an entire preseason camp and how long into the year it took him to look like his normal self. Speaking of the 2016 MVP, and OKC Thunder superstar point guard, he also went under the knife after playing the final six weeks of the season with a torn ligament in a finger on his nonshooting hand. In addition, Westbrook underwent a minor procedure on his already surgically repaired right knee, which is a common clean up for him, a procedure he has done multiple times since the initial injury in 2013. Westbrook’s procedures do not seem as if they will hinder him from participating in preseason activities.<doc-sep>Craig Mitchelldyer/Associated Press Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George will miss the start of his team's 2019-20 preseason training camp at minimum after undergoing surgery Tuesday to repair a partially torn tendon in his right shoulder, the team announced (per Maddie Lee of The Oklahoman). Adrian Wojnarowski and Royce Young of ESPN first reported the news. George averaged a career-high 28.0 points and 8.2 rebounds this season. The All-Star was considered an MVP candidate before spending the latter half of the year dealing with a shoulder injury. It caused a marked drop-off in performance, most notably with his shooting efficiency. He hit just 32.3 percent of his threes during the Thunder's first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers but mostly brushed off questions about his health. "I think it came at a terrible time, especially [because] the team was rolling," George said of the shoulder injury. "We were playing good. I was holding up pretty, pretty, pretty good. I just thought it came at the wrong time, honestly. But again, I've never made no excuses on it. I was dealing with it for a long time throughout the season. It just got worse and worse as it went on. "Injuries are part of the game," he added. "I've missed a season being hurt, so I was able to— the training staff assured me I was fine to play through it, and I will be fine going forward. I'd had no other thought in my mind but to be out there and play and ride it out with my guys." George was the Thunder's best player throughout the regular season, and it was clear the shoulder was hampering him more than he was letting on. Video Play Button Videos you might like Russell Westbrook also underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left hand that he'd been dealing with the final six weeks of the regular season. The injury was never made public, and the level to which it affected Westbrook's game is unclear. The 2016 NBA MVP also underwent a procedure on right knee that was considered "proactive maintenance."<doc-sep>
Thunder All-Stars Paul George and Russell Westbrook have undergone surgery, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Royce Young: The Oklahoma City Thunder announced Tuesday that All-Star Paul George underwent rotator cuff surgery to repair a partially torn tendon in his right shoulder. The expectation is he will miss at least the start of preseason training camp, league sources told ESPN. Along with George -- who will also soon undergo a procedure to correct a small tear in the labrum of his left shoulder -- All-Star guard Russell Westbrook had a procedure done to repair a torn ligament in a finger on his left hand, the team announced. [..] [Westbrook] also had a minor procedure on his surgically repaired right knee Tuesday -- described as proactive maintenance -- that will allow him time to still have an aggressive summer of preparation for next season, sources said. Essentially what we all thought happened, actually did happen. George, bothered by shoulder issues since the All-Star break, had damaged his rotator cuff, hindering his ability to continue the white-hot shooting he enjoyed during the first 2⁄ 3 of the season. Meanwhile, Westbrook who, despite finishing with his 3rd straight triple-double season average, concluded the season with one of his worst aggregate shooting performances since his 2nd year in the league. The combination of the pair’s ailments led to a 4-1 loss in the opening round of the playoffs to the Portland Trail Blazers, where Westbrook shot 36% from the floor. George, despite the most prolific offensive season of his career, which carried into the post-season, could not help the team translate it into playoff success. George will be reevaluated in early fall, while Westbrook’s timetable is unknown.