Getty Chris Paul #3 of the Golden State Warriors looks on before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr will have the full complement of his rotation as Chris Paul makes his much-anticipated return on Tuesday, February 27, against the Washington Wizards, per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater and Shams Charania.
Only third-stringer Gui Santos is listed as out with right knee inflammation in the Warriors’ latest official NBA injury report.
Paul, 38, returns after missing the Warriors’ last 21 games due to a second metacarpal fracture of his left hand. They went 12-9 without him.
The veteran guard returns to a different Warriors second unit with Klay Thompson in it. The two future Hall of Famers will lead Kerr’s bench group for the stretch run.
“Obviously, Chris will play all of the non-Steph [Curry] minutes and then he’ll be out there with Steph as well and it’s easier for us to Steph off the ball and take some of the wear and tear off of him when Chris is out there because he doesn’t have to bring it up and battle pressure and all that,” Kerr told reporters after their 119-103 loss to defending champion Denver Nuggets on February 25.
Warriors’ Rotation Crunch
While Paul’s return will ease Curry’s pressure, it will add to Kerr’s stress of managing their deep rotation.
“Everybody’s just got to stay ready, “Kerr said. “There’s not enough minutes for everybody.”
Kerr has found stability in a new starting five consisting of rookie Brandin Podziemski and Curry at the backcourt along with the pair of Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga with Draymond Green as the small-ball center.
Thompson and Gary Payton II are the mainstays of the second unit with big men Kevon Looney, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Dario Saric along with wing Lester Quiñones rotating with them. Moses Moody is the casualty of the rotation crunch.
Paul will eat up into Podziemski and Payton II’s minutes.
Ex-Warriors Center DeMarcus Cousins Ends NBA Career
Former Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins is at peace where he is right now as he is no longer pursuing an NBA comeback.
“I know I’ve had my time there,” Cousins told Hoopshype’s Cyro Asseo de Choch on February 23. “You know, there was a point where I was trying to make that happen. But the place I’m in my life now, just with everything I’ve got going on, just outside of basketball, like I’m in a good place. So, like I said, I’m excited [about] what I have ahead and my future. You know, my 12 years in the league were a small chapter or chapters in my life. And, I’m ready to move on to the next and see what’s in store for me.”
The four-time All-Star center averaged 16.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists with the Warriors in an injury-plagued 2018-19 season which ended in the Finals loss to the Toronto Raptors.
After recovering from an Achilles injury, Cousins dealt another blow 30 games into his return as he tore his left quadriceps in Game 2 of the opening round in the playoffs. He pushed himself to return in the NBA Finals but his effort went to waste as season-ending injuries to Thompson and Kevin Durant during the series did them in.