Andre Roberson to Take Part in Non-Contact Drills After Knee Injury

The Oklahoma City Thunder have received good news regarding Andre Roberson as they prepare to start training camp next week. 

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Thunder general manager Sam Presti said Roberson will take part in non-contact drills when training camp opens on Sept. 25. 

"He's doing a lot more this week than he was last week," Presti said. "He's through the hardest part of this recovery process. We don't think we will be without him very long."

Roberson's 2017-18 season came to a premature end when he ruptured his left patellar tendon during a Jan. 27 game against the Detroit Pistons. 

He underwent arthroscopic surgery on the same knee in May to relieve inflammation and take a proactive approach to his rehab. 

Presti didn't specify when Roberson would play in games, though the Thunder's expectation is it will be in the early part of the season. 

"I'm not really putting a particular timeline on it, but I want to come back to myself somewhere in, like, December," Roberson told KABB Fox-29 (h/t The Oklahoman's Brett Dawson) last month. "It would be great if it happened before Christmas. That'd be great, but like I said, not putting a timeline on it, just taking it a day at a time."

Roberson averaged five points and 4.7 rebounds in 39 games prior to suffering his injury. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive second team during the 2016-17 campaign. 

The Thunder will open the 2018-19 season on Oct. 16 against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena.