TUALATIN -- He doesn't want to speculate about when he'll be able to practice for the first time with the Trail Blazers. He doesn't want to establish a timeline or list a goal.
But as veteran guard Gerald Henderson inches closer and closer to recovering from offseason hip surgery, he's willing to acknowledge one certainty.
"Every day, I'm improving," he said. "Whatever the schedule is, I feel like I'm ahead of schedule. But you've got to take it day-by-day and ... I'm going to take the right amount of time to get back to where I can help the team."
One of the few surprises during a rather mundane media day was Henderson's declaration that he not only wouldn't be ready for the first day of training camp, but also that he couldn't guarantee he'd play Opening Night. Henderson is the second-oldest player on the rebuilding Blazers' roster, and his mix of veteran leadership and NBA experience was supposed to be an important part of camp as a group of new and young players ironed out the wrinkles.
But during the first four days of workouts at the practice facility in Tualatin, the 6-foot-5 shooting guard has been forced to watch his new teammates, scouting from the sidelines while salivating at the chance to join the fray.
"I try to pay attention as much as I can," he said. "I feel like if I can know what we're doing on both sides of the floor, I'll have an easier transition. But, of course, getting out there and playing, that's what I love to do, regardless of the situation. And on a new team, it's even more important. So it's tough. But what am I going to do? I just want to get myself healthy and that stuff will fall into place."
The good news is Henderson is not completely relegated to the sidelines. While he spends most of his time rehabilitating his hip -- undergoing a mix of stretching, weight-lifting and conditioning to increase flexibility and strength -- he also works on individual basketball drills. Throughout the week, shortly after his teammates conclude their evening practice, Henderson starts his, pushing himself closer to returning through an individual workout with an assistant coach.
He's been cleared to shoot, work on ball-handling drills and other basketball-related workouts. He just can't do them against teammates. And he isn't healthy enough to go 100 percent.
"I do as much stuff as I can within the parameters of where I'm at physically," Henderson said. "I'd be miserable if I couldn't do anything. You never want to go too long without touching the ball. I feel good in terms of that. The (hurdle) will just be physically getting myself back right."
The Blazers have refused to put a timeline on Henderson's return -- coach Terry Stotts doesn't even like addressing Henderson's status -- so it's unclear when the 27 year-old will return. It's also unclear what role he will fill when he finally does.
Henderson and third-year player CJ McCollum were supposed to enter training camp in a head-to-head battle for the starting shooting guard spot. But McCollum, who appears on the verge of a breakout season, has emerged as the clear favorite, particularly in light of Henderson's lingering rehabilitation.
So a player who's started 292 games -- second-most on the roster -- will likely serve as a backup.
"That's so far out of my radar right now," Henderson said. "I can't even go 100 percent speed on the court and do a pull-up jumper, which I'm accustomed to doing. If I can't do that, I shouldn't have a role. My focus right now is getting myself back physically and getting my game back. You can't miss any steps in the process, physically or mentally. That stuff will come about when it's time."
--Joe Freeman | jfreeman@oregonian.com | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman