The Golden State Warriors have made exactly zero effort to sugarcoat their current situation sans big man Draymond Green. Simply put, as long as the four-time All-Star continues to sit on the sidelines, the team is doomed to disappoint.
“We desperately need Draymond,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr confessed after his team’s Thursday loss to the Mavericks. That statement came just a couple of days after Stephen Curry declared, “We’re not going to be anything great” without Green.
The numbers bear it out, too. Since Green last played on January 9, the Warriors are just 13-12. Meanwhile, they sit in the middle of the pack league-wide in offensive rating (13th at 113.3) and defensive rating (111.2, No. 14 overall) over that span of games.
However, the team may not have to wait too much longer to have Green back on the court and contributing toward a turnaround.
Woj Drops an Updated Draymond Timeline
ESPN’s league insider Adrian Wojnarowski made an appearance on NBA Countdown on Sunday. And during his guest spot, he dropped a major update regarding Green’s timeline for getting back in the game for Golden State.
“I’m told seven to 10 days on a return for Draymond Green,” Wojnarowski revealed. “He had a workout after the Warriors’ practice today in LA. They stayed over after the loss to the Lakers last night, and it’s gonna not be a moment too soon.”
Added Woj: “Certainly, you know what he brings for them defensively. One of the great defenders in the history of this league. But, also, offensively — the two-man game he plays with Steph Curry and leadership.”
Green has been sidelined with what was originally deemed to be calf tightness but was later revealed to be an L5-S1 disc injury in his back.
In 34 games this season, the 10th-year pro is averaging 7.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.
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Warriors May Continue to Struggle Until Green Returns
If we’re being optimistic and saying that Green will be back in seven days from now, that would mean that he misses Golden State’s next four games. Unfortunately, those four games are ones in which they could really use his help.
On Monday, the Dubs wrap up their current road trip in Denver against the 37-26 Nuggets, a group that dropped them in buzzer-beating fashion on February 16. The following night, the already weary team will play host to a Clippers club that has won five straight games as of this writing.
After that, it’s another road bout with Nikola Jokic and Co. on Thursday, March 10, followed by a Saturday, March 12, game against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the defending-champion Bucks.
The Warriors have already ceded the No. 2 seed to the Grizzlies. If they continue to struggle during the aforementioned stretch, they could end up being leapfrogged by the No. 4 Jazz, too, before Green makes his big return.
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Insider Reveals Window for Draymond Green’s Anticipated Warriors Return