Paul George is "feeling better" and progressing from the torn UCL in his shooting elbow, but will "still need more time" before he plays.

George underwent an MRI on the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow on Friday. Lue said George is progressing but he remains unsure if he will be able to return this season.

"Just that he feels better, he's making progress," Lue said of an update on George before the Clippers played the Lakers. "But he's gonna need more time."

When asked if there is still a chance for George to return this season, Lue replied, "not sure."

"I mean the biggest thing is he's feeling better," Lue said. "And he's making progress, the MRI revealed, and we just gotta go from there."

"Every competitor wants to play," Lue later added when asked if George is bummed about needing more time. "And so I'm bummed out, too. [But] hope is stronger than fear."

Paul George could return to game action with the Los Angeles Clippers as soon as the second week of March, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports.

George has been out for almost two months with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

George will undergo an MRI on Feb. 24th and if it shows no issues, he will go through a two-week ramp up period.

The Clippers have managed to remain in the playoff picture despite the absence of George.

The Los Angeles Clippers announced that new acquisition Norman Powell will be out indefinitely. Powell suffered a fractured media sesamoid bone in his left foot. There's no timetable for Powell's return at this time.

The treatment is non-surgical for Powell.

The Clippers acquired Powell and Robert Covington from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Eric Bledsoe, Keon Johnson and Justise Winslow ahead of the trade deadline. In three games with LA, Powell averaged 21 points, three rebounds and four assists in 26.7 minutes per contest.

The Sacramento Kings have agreed to trade Marvin Bagley III to the Detroit Pistons as part of a four-team trade. Detroit has long been linked with a deal for Bagley, who was picked second overall in 2018 and has had a disappointing tenure with the Kings.

The Kings will acquire Donte DiVincenzo from the Milwaukee Bucks. Sacramento will also acquire Josh Jackson and Trey Lyles from the Pistons. 

Milwaukee will acquire Serge Ibaka from the Los Angeles Clippers. With Brook Lopez out with a back injury, the Bucks needed to upgrade the center position.

The Kings previously tried to acquired DiVincenzo as part of the proposed Bogdan Bogdanovic sign-and-trade with the Bucks.

The Clippers will receive Semi Ojeleye and Rodney Hood from the Bucks.

James L. Edwards III reports the Pistons hope to sign Bagley to a multiyear deal in the offseason. Bagley will likely have a qualifying offer of $7.2 million as a restricted free agent. Troy Weaver had Bagley on his wish list since joining the Pistons in 2020. 

The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to trade Eric Bledsoe, Justice Winslow, Keon Johnson and a future second round pick to the Portland Trail Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington. The second round pick is a 2025 selection via the Detroit Pistons.

Powell re-signed with the Blazers this past offseason on a five-year, $90 million deal. Covington is on an expiring contract. 

Bledsoe has a small guarantee for the 22-23 season. Johnson was the 21st pick in the 2021 draft out of Tennessee.

Portland goes under the luxury tax with the move.

After months of optimism that Kawhi Leonard could return from his torn ACL at some point this season for the Los Angeles Clippers, Ty Lue downplayed that possibility. The Clippers also have an uncertain situation with Paul George's elbow injury, which Lue alluded to.

“I think the biggest thing is with Kawhi being out all year, and PG not knowing what’s gonna happen with PG, the hardest thing for players, when your best two players are out — when you hear Kawhi’s gonna be out for a week or three days, you can muster that energy up, you can find a way to win games and continue to come in every single day and have positive vibes,” Lue said. “But the enjoyment I get from this team, we know Kawhi’s probably not gonna come back, we don’t know the status of PG, but these guys continue to keep fighting, every single night.

“And so that’s kind of how I had to play, that’s how I had to make it, so just seeing how these guys scrap and compete every single night, just makes me feel good — that’s the enjoyment I get from coaching this team.”

Asked to clarify his comment about Leonard, Lue said he was “not a doctor” while reiterating that “hope is stronger than fear.”

“So I’m hoping that these two guys can come back,” Lue said, before leaving his postgame news conference. “But, you know, you never know. So that’s all I got to say, man.”