Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Draymond Green

Injury Updates: Mitchell, Gobert, Green, Iguodala, Anthony, James, Birch

February 3rd, 2022 at 10:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert were named as All-Star reserves on Thursday. The Jazz also got positive injury news regarding their top players.

Mitchell has cleared the NBA’s concussion protocol and will be available for the team’s game against the Nets on Friday, Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets. Mitchell hasn’t played since January 17. Gobert won’t play on Friday but could return early next week, MacMahon adds. The big man is dealing with a calf strain and hasn’t seen action since January 23rd.

We have more injury-related news:

  • Warriors forward Draymond Green is skipping the All-Star Game due to a back injury. Green said on Thursday he won’t need surgery but estimates it will be at least three-to-four weeks before he can play again, Marc Stein tweets.
  • Another Warriors forward, Andre Iguodala, says he’s close to returning from a left hip injury, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. Iguodala hasn’t played since logging 31 minutes on January 20. Iguodala indicated that persistent knee swelling created a “chain reaction” that has led to other ailments.
  • Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony exited the team’s game against the Clippers on Thursday due to a right hamstring strain, McMenamin tweets. LeBron James missed his fifth straight game due to swelling in his left knee, McMenamin adds in another tweet.
  • Raptors big man Khem Birch played on Thursday for the first time since January 14. He only saw five minutes of action. Birch required plastic surgery after his nose was fractured. He’ll have to wear a mask for approximately six weeks, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca tweets.
Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Booker, Paul Head List Of Western Conference All-Star Reserves

February 3rd, 2022 at 6:24pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns guards Devin Booker and Chris Paul were among seven players named to the Western Conference All-Star reserve pool, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).

The Jazz duo of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert also made the list, along with the Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns, the Warriors’ Draymond Green and the Mavericks’ Luka Doncic.

Green announced he will not play in the All-Star game due to back and calf injuries, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. NBA commissioner Adam Silver will select his replacement.

The Western Conference starter pool was announced last week.

Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins was chosen along with Lakers forward LeBron James and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic among Western Conference frontcourt candidates. The Grizzlies’ Ja Morant joined the Warriors’ Stephen Curry as the backcourt duo in the starter pool.

Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

Latest On Draymond Green

February 1st, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors have issued an injury update on Draymond Green, announcing in a press release that the veteran forward “is making steps in a positive direction and the injury is improving.” Green is dealing with a disc issue in his lower back that has also led to calf pain.

Green has already missed 12 games and it doesn’t appear his return is imminent. According to the Warriors, he’ll be reevaluated again prior to the All-Star break.

That wording is pretty vague, but presumably the team means the reevaluation will occur shortly before the All-Star break rather than anytime in the next week or so. Golden State’s final game before the break is on February 16.

Green is the anchor of Golden State’s defense, so the team will need him back if it wants to make a serious postseason run this spring. In the meantime though, the Warriors are managing to get by without him — they’ll take a six-game winning streak into Tuesday’s contest in San Antonio.

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Draymond Green Joining Turner Sports While Playing For Warriors

January 27th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors forward Draymond Green is signing an exclusive, multi-year contract with Turner Sports, per a press release. Green will still be an active player for Golden State. Green has served as a guest analyst and interviewer for Turner the past few years, but he’ll have an expanded, official role with the company now.

“I’ve had an amazing experience working with Turner Sports in recent years and I’m a big believer in the way they entertain and genuinely connect with fans on all levels,” said Green in a statement. “Today’s announcement helps to formalize our relationship and I couldn’t be prouder to officially be a part of the of the TNT family.”

Green will make appearances on “Inside the NBA” throughout the season as an analyst, both in-person and remotely, as his schedule allows. He’ll also contribute to other content initiatives with Turner Sports and Bleacher Report, both owned by Warner Media.

“Draymond is an incredibly versatile talent, both on the court and in front of the camera,” said Tara August, senior VP of talent services and special projects for Turner Sports. “He’s a team player in every sense, while offering a distinct perspective that is highlighted by his keen basketball IQ, charismatic delivery and forthright, thoughtful opinions that include and extend beyond sports. We’re thrilled to more formally welcome him to the Turner Sports family.”

Green will make his debut Thursday night following the Warriors’ game against the Timberwolves.

Richard Deitsch of The Athletic thinks the unique deal looks like a great move for Turner. He reports that August and other executives had been trying to hire Green for months, with negotiations picking up steam in December.

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Warriors Notes: Thompson, Kuminga, Green, Payton

January 26th, 2022 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

Following a two-game absence due to a hyperextended left knee, Warriors swingman Klay Thompson returned to action on Tuesday night vs. Dallas and played a season-high 26 minutes.

After the game, head coach Steve Kerr said that Thompson’s minutes limit has been increased slightly (the goal is to keep him around 25) and that the team has restructured its rotation to avoid having him sit out for extended stretches, as Anthony Slater of The Athletic writes. On Tuesday, Thompson played for the first six minutes of the first and second quarters, then had three shorter stints in the second half to ensure he could be part of the closing lineup.

“We’re just trying to avoid having him not play for 45 minutes (straight) of actual time,” Kerr said, per Slater.

Thompson, who put up 15 points and six assists and was a plus-26 in the Warriors’ blowout victory, said he prefers this pattern: “Especially at my age and what I’ve been through. It felt good to start the second (quarter). I was loose and I was active. Hopefully we can learn from it.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

  • After previously penciling in Jonathan Kuminga as a starter during Draymond Green‘s absence, Kerr has moved the rookie forward back to the bench for Golden State’s last three games. As Slater relays, Kerr explained his reasoning on Tuesday: “Without Draymond right now and with a minutes restriction on Klay, Andre (Iguodala) and Otto (Porter Jr.) are not playing back-to-backs, it’s been a little bit of play-it-by-ear-type stuff,” Kerr said. “It feels like we need to try and find some continuity when we can. … As long as Draymond is out, I think anything is on the table based on matchups. I think JK has played really well, so it’s not an indictment on him. It’s more just trying to find combinations that make sense for the game. We are just trying to find ways to win basically while we have guys out.”
  • Speaking of Green, Kerr said the Warriors will provide an update on the former Defensive Player of the Year on Sunday, per Mark Medina of NBA.com (Twitter link). Green is dealing with back and calf ailments.
  • In an in-depth profile, James Herbert of CBS Sports takes a look at the path Gary Payton II took to the Warriors and how he has found a home in Golden State.
Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Pacific Notes: Green, Kuminga, Curry, James, Howard

January 17th, 2022 at 5:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors announced on Sunday that defensive stalwart Draymond Green would miss at least two weeks of action due to lingering calf and back injuries. Coach Steve Kerr said they’re playing it safe with Green’s injury issues at this stage of the season, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets.

“The main thing is to be safe and cautious,” Kerr said. “It’s a long season. That’s my sense. That we’re being cautious.”

With Green out, lottery pick Jonathan Kuminga will get expanded playing time. Kuminga irritated the staff with a disinterested performance in a G League game last week but the Warriors won’t hold that against him, according to Slater.

“He didn’t run the floor hard. It was disappointing,” Kerr said. “We talked to him about it. He understood and responded well. This is all part of the process for JK. There’s a lot to absorb and learn.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • Stephen Curry left the Warriors’ road trip early but it shouldn’t be an area of concern, according to Slater (Twitter link). Curry has a hand injury that the club believes is minor. He could play against Detroit on Tuesday.
  • The Lakers have dropped below the .500 mark by losing their last three games, including a 37-point thumping by Denver. LeBron James went on social media and pledged to fans the team will get untracked soon. “Lakers Nation I apologize and promise we’ll be better,” James proclaimed on his Twitter feed.
  • The decision to start Dwight Howard against the Nuggets shows the Lakers can only go so far with small ball lineups, Kyle Goon of the Orange Country Register writes. Coach Frank Vogel doesn’t want James banging against top-level centers such as Nikola Jokic. Howard will still have a role off the bench when Anthony Davis returns, Goon adds.
Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

Draymond Green To Miss At Least Two Weeks

January 16th, 2022 at 5:42pm CST by JD Shaw

Warriors star Draymond Green will miss at least two weeks due to the ongoing soreness in his left calf, the team announced on social media. Green’s soreness is “tied to the involvement of a disc in his lower back,” according to the Dubs.

The three-time champion will receive physical therapy in the coming days and be reevaluated at the end of the two-week period. Golden State is 3-5 without Green this season, compared to 28-6 when he plays.

Despite missing Green, the Warriors managed to blow out the Bulls in Chicago on Friday, winning 138-96. Players such as Jonathan Kuminga (25 points), Nemanja Bjelica (11 rebounds) Otto Porter Jr. (nine points) all stepped up in Green’s absence. Porter received the start at power forward.

On the season, Green has averaged 7.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game, providing versatile defense at all five positions. The Warriors are set to begin a seven-game homestand on Tuesday that spans 13 days.

Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

Pacific Notes: Fox, J. Smith, Klay, Draymond

January 12th, 2022 at 9:17pm CST by Rory Maher

The Kings have missed out on the postseason for 15 straight seasons, which is tied for the longest playoff drought in NBA history (with the Clippers, from 1977-1992). Kings owner Vivek Ranadive has reportedly given GM Monte McNair the green light to make any roster moves necessary to improve their playoff chances and give them a pathway to sustained success going forward.

With that in mind, De’Aaron Fox‘s name has started popping up more in trade rumors. The Sacramento Bee’s guest columnist Brenden Nunes makes the case for building around the 24-year-old point guard. Nunes notes that there has been near-constant turmoil in Sacramento during Fox’s time with the team, including a rotating cast of ill-fitting teammates, three head coaches and two general managers.

Fox’s statistics of 20.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 5.1 APG on .450/.247/.750 shooting (39 games, 34.2 MPG) are down from last season’s numbers of 25.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 7.2 APG on .477/.322/.719 shooting (58 games, 35.1 MPG). Fox can be frustratingly inconsistent on both ends, but his talent is clear and Nunes believes the Kings should stick with Fox and Tyrese Haliburton as the backcourt of the future and build around the two young guards, as opposed to trading either of them.

Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

  • The Suns may have a dilemma on their hands with Jalen Smith‘s unrestricted free agency looming this summer, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Smith performed well over a recent six-game stretch while Deandre Ayton and JaVale McGee were in the health and safety protocols, averaging 15.8 PPG, 10.2 RPG, and 1.0 BPG on .554/.385/.857 shooting in 25.5 MPG. Phoenix declined Smith’s third-year option of $4,670,160, so it can’t exceed that amount to retain him in free agency. If Phoenix were to trade Smith, the acquiring team also wouldn’t be able to exceed the amount of his third-year option, Hollinger writes. Given his strong play recently, it’s conceivable that a bidder in free agency could come up with an offer higher than the declined option, so any team interested in acquiring him via trade would essentially have Smith as a rental player in that scenario — severely limiting his trade value. Hollinger notes there’s still a chance the Suns could re-sign him relatively cheaply depending on how the rest of the season plays out, but it was a head-scratching move at the time that has come under more scrutiny after he was given actual playing time.
  • Warriors guard Klay Thompson, who recently made his long-awaited season debut, is on a strict minutes limit of 20 per game right now, but he expects that to be bumped up “in a week or two,” writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Thompson has looked spry in his first two games back, averaging 15.5 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 20.0 minutes.
  • Draymond Green is likely to miss at least three more games for the Warriors with calf soreness, Slater tweets. Head coach Steve Kerr said it’s “doubtful” that Green will join the team on its current road trip, which runs through Sunday in Minnesota.
Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

COVID-19 Updates: Green, Anderson, Butler, Satoransky, Nesmith, Gill, Brooks

January 2nd, 2022 at 4:55pm CST by JD Shaw

Warriors star Draymond Green has cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols, according to Marc J. Spears of ESPN’s The Undefeated (Twitter link). He’s expected to play in Monday’s game against Miami.

Green missed two games due to protocols, including Golden State’s road contest against Utah on Saturday. The Warriors still ended up winning 123-116 and currently own the league’s best record at 28-7.

Here are some other COVID-19 updates from around the association:

Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

COVID Updates: Green, Brooks, Bazley, Augustin, Scrubb, Niang, Neto

December 26th, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The league continues to be ravaged by COVID positives with an increasing number of players entering the league’s health and safety protocols. Here are the latest updates:

  • Warriors star forward Draymond Green has entered the protocols, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. Green joined four other Warriors in the protocols heading into a pair of games against Denver.
  • The Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks, De’Anthony Melton and Yves Pons all entered the protocols prior to their game against Sacramento on Sunday, the team’s PR department tweets. Memphis now has five players under those restrictions.
  • Darius Bazley became the first Thunder player in protocols, Andrew Schlecht of The Athletic tweets.
  • Veteran Rockets guard D.J. Augustin has entered the health and safety protocols, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
  • Clippers two-way player Jay Scrubb has been placed in the protocols, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times tweets.
  • Wizards guard Raul Neto has joined two other Washington players in the protocols, Josh Robbins of The Athletic tweets.
  • Two Hornets regulars, Miles Bridges and P.J. Washington, are now in the protocols, the team’s PR department tweets.
  • On the positive side, Sixers forward Georges Niang has cleared the protocols, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets.
Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts