Clippers star Paul George says he’s ‘very optimistic that our time will come’

All-Star Clippers wing Paul George called his recovery from a right knee sprain challenging but doesn’t believe he’s far off from returning.

George also called it frustrating that injuries to himself and fellow star forward Kawhi Leonard have curtailed the Clippers’ championship potential the last three seasons — but he also believes there is optimism that the franchise is close to achieving its original goal.

“It’s super frustrating to put so much into the season, put so much into this group and the organization to put so much into making a team that could compete and again year after year just getting zapped by injuries,” George said Tuesday, hours before Game 5 of this first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns, in his first comments to reporters in five weeks. “It’s definitely frustrating. That wasn’t the reason I came here, I know it wasn’t the reason [Kawhi] came here.

“We obviously had big plans to win and do something special for Clipper nation, but I’m a big believer of everything happens for a reason and you just pick up the pieces and try to make a hand out of what you’re dealt with. So, that’s just how I remain positive. I’m very optimistic that our time will come.”

George sprained his right knee March 21 but avoided damaging any ligaments, which left open the possibility of a return during the postseason. George said the injury comes with a six-week recovery timeline at the minimum, meaning the earliest he could return is next week. Making it that far will require the Clippers to erase a 3-1 series deficit against the Suns and advance to the second round.

“If I feel good right at that six-week mark, I’m lacing them up,” George said.

In the last two weeks George has taken part in workouts that have increased in intensity, from stationary shooting to working one-on-one drills against a player development coach, but said he has yet to participate in full-contact workouts.

George said that though hemight look strong to observers during his workouts, he has still experienced soreness and has limitations, acknowledging his “huge concern, or a risk, of coming back too soon.”

“It hurts to not play and watch the guys put it all on the line and not be able to do the same,” George said. “It’s very frustrating and it sucks. It really does suck. So we are not looking at going into next year yet. I believe the guys still got enough to win this series and go past further than this series and I’ll be able to join them at some point.”

Leonard sprained his right knee in Game 1 of the series and hasn’t played since aggravating the injury in Game 2. George said criticism that Leonard is sitting because he doesn’t want to play “attacks his character,” adding that it has been “real hard” for Leonard to miss time.

“People don’t understand like, he’ll play through it,” George said. “It’s got to be a reason why he’s out. And he wants to be out there with us and he wants to be out there to lead.”

In September, the 32-year-old George began the season by noting that his “window is shrinking to be a champion.” He and Leonard then played only 38 games together during the 82-game regular season.

Despite their history of injuries, George said he believes he has “a lot of good years in me,” and that Leonard feels the same about his own longevity.

“We just had a short window,” he said. “You know, we’ve seen when we’re at our best with everybody healthy and what we’re capable of. We just, you know, again — small window of not being able to put it all together at the same time for a long period. But I think it’s enough to go forward and be very optimistic of what we can be in years to come.”

George continued to show his support for Russell Westbrook, the veteran guard the Clippers signed off the buyout market in February as a complementary piece to help George and Leonard. Westbrook has averaged 15.8 points while shooting 48% overall and 35% on three-pointers since joining the Clippers. George prominently supported Westbrook’s signing and wants him back next season in the same role. Westbrook will be a free agent after the season.

“He’s giving literally everything he’s got to our franchise during this playoff run,” George said. “So I just think he’s the leader that we need at the point guard position going forward and would love to have him back.”