Clipper Guard Mike Woodson Says He Hasn’t Recovered From Knee Surgery

Guard Mike Woodson, acquired by the Clippers in a trade with the Sacramento Kings last month, said he still hasn’t fully recovered from off-season surgery that removed 20% of the cartilage in his right knee.

Woodson said he just started playing basketball again last week after undergoing the arthroscopic surgery in May. The Clippers will open training camp next week at Cal Poly Pomona.

“I hurt it in January when I took a fall,” Woodson said from his home in Sacramento. “I knew it was hurt but I kept playing on it. I just started back playing on it last week. I hadn’t played since the surgery. I’m not in tip-top shape, but I’m getting there. I won’t be in top shape (when camp opens) but I’ll be ready to go.”

Woodson said he was surprised to learn that he had been traded. “I had just had knee surgery . . . and I didn’t think any team would probably be that interested in me,” he said.

Elgin Baylor, Clipper executive vice president for basketball operations, said the club knew about Woodson’s knee surgery before making the trade.

“You can’t hide something like that,” Baylor said. “Our doctors examined him and said everything was fine.”

Meanwhile, the Clippers said they are still negotiating with free-agent guard Darnell Valentine.