The Los Angeles Clippers lost rookie power forward Brice Johnson for an indefinite period of time due to a herniated disc in his back.
Brice Johnson has a herniated disc, per Clippers. Out indefinitely.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) October 8, 2016
While a frustrating development for the Clippers, this won’t likely set the franchise back at all for the upcoming 2016-17 season. Johnson was not expected to make an immediate impact this year. Instead, the move to select him No. 25 overall was made with future involvement in mind.
While the Clippers will be fine this year, this injury could be detrimental to the young man’s future. Though surgery has not been determined as the best course of action, oftentimes that is what is required to ensure a full recovery.
That said, according to Jeff Goodman of ESPN, the Clippers are hoping to get him back in four-to-six weeks. This means the organization is hoping the injury is one that can be overcome without surgery, which is always the best-case scenario.
Last year as a senior with the North Carolina Tar Heels, Johnson averaged 17 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.