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Los Angeles Clippers center Mason Plumlee's sprained left MCL is not a season-ending injury, but it's expected to keep him sidelined for "up to multiple months," The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Thursday. The Clippers, who used P.J. Tucker as their backup center in Wednesday's 100-93 loss against the Brooklyn Nets, are reportedly looking to add a veteran big man, possibly Daniel Theis of the Indiana Pacers. 

The injury occurred in the third quarter of Los Angeles' 111-97 loss against the New York Knicks on Monday at Madison Square Garden. The Clippers had a two-point lead when Julius Randle, attempting to recover a loose ball, crashed into Plumlee's leg, but James Harden's debut went sideways after that.

Plumlee was a productive starter for the Charlotte Hornets last season before the Clippers acquired him at the trade deadline. Since then, he has been one of the league's best backup bigs. If they can trade for Theis, who has not played a single minute for the Pacers this season, it would allow coach Tyronn Lue to play "big" (Theis is only 6-foot-8, but he's strong and can box out bigger players) for all 48 minutes without turning to the 21-year-old Moussa Diabate. 

Theis is an excellent screener, and while he's not on Plumlee's level as a passer, he can do some hub stuff and, unlike Plumlee, make the occasional 3.

In a guest appearance on the Clippers' broadcast on Wednesday, team president Lawrence Frank said that they feel lucky that Plumlee's injury wasn't even worse, adding that the front office would look at internal and external options to fill in for him, per the Los Angeles Times.