Warriors injury reports: No timetable for Draymond Green; James Wiseman unlikely to crack playoff rotation

 

James Wiseman hasn't played for the Golden State Warriors in almost a calendar year. He had surgery last April to repair a torn right meniscus, then a second surgery in December for "cleanup" purposes, further delaying his return. The Warriors have 19 games left in the regular season. There's still no word on when, or if, Wiseman will play in any of them. 

If he does, it likely won't be for long or particularly meaningful minutes. On Friday, ESPN's Kendra Andrews cited a Warriors coach saying it's "highly unlikely" that Wiseman will be a big part of Golden State's rotation, especially in the playoffs. 

You don't have to read too deeply between the lines to understand that Golden State is more or less punting on Wiseman's second season in hopes that he can be ready to fully pursue his potential in his third. 

"What I will always keep circling back to is this guy needs reps," Steve Kerr said on Thursday when asked about Wiseman's status. "He needs a thousand reps and he needs summer league and he needs a training camp. So, let's temper the expectations but be excited about his future because as he gets those reps, he's got the potential to be a tremendous player."

He needs reps, but he's not likely to get them as the Warriors chase a championship. He needs summer league and training camp. This is pretty plain language that Golden State isn't expecting much, if anything, out of Wiseman should he return this season. 

You wonder why they would even bring him back at all, to be honest. They might not. There have been plenty of stall tactics throughout this process, including not disclosing his second surgery in December until a much later date. 

The idea of Wiseman coming back this season is something that Warriors fans might not want to fully flush, as the team does need size. If nothing else, Wiseman can, in theory, give them that. But the reality is there has been zero evidence that Wiseman is ready to be trusted in the middle of a title chase. 

Golden State drafted Wiseman over LaMelo Ball, in part, because he theoretically filled an immediate need at center. The immediate part of that equation is all but out the window. It's only about the future now for Wiseman, who can hopefully become a core piece of the post-Curry/Klay/Draymond era alongside Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody with a fresh start in summer league. Until then, it doesn't sound like anyone should be expecting to see much of him on the court. 

Obviously, the more pressing concern for the Warriors is getting Draymond Green back. He's been out since Jan. 5, and over that two-month span, the Warriors have gone just 14-12. Since Feb. 1, they're giving up over 13 points per 100 possessions more than prior to Green's injury, and they're giving up 10 points per 100 more over the full Green-less span. Stephen Curry has had to take on a bigger playmaking role. They've lost seven of their last nine games. 

So when will Green be back? Per the same ESPN report, there is no timetable. He could be out the rest of the regular season. Back injuries are tough. It's his L5-S1 disc, if you want the specifics. When he first started sitting out games, the Warriors called it nothing more than a precautionary measure. In December, Green said he was hoping to be back "within the next three weeks or so." 

Now, nobody knows. 

The Warriors are not going to rush this. They know they can't compete for a title without Green. If they have to limp through the rest of the season and drop a few playoff seeds in the process, so be it. They just need Green healthy when the games matter. But even that doesn't sound like a guarantee.