Warriors forward/center Draymond Green has been diagnosed with a mild left calf strain and is expected to be reevaluated in one week, reports Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). The team has officially confirmed Slater’s reporting (Twitter link).
As Slater notes, that means Green will miss at least Golden State’s next four games, including Monday’s matchup with the defending champion Celtics. He’ll also be unavailable for games vs. Sacramento (on Wednesday), Chicago (Thursday), and the Lakers (Saturday) before being reexamined.
Green, who previously missed three consecutive games due to a back injury and an illness, made his return on Saturday vs. Washington, but was on the court for just three minutes before sustaining a first-quarter calf injury that sidelined him for the rest of the night.
Green has averaged 8.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game through 34 contests this season for the Warriors. As usual, his impact goes beyond the box score — Golden State has a +3.9 net rating during his time on the court and a -3.0 mark when he’s not on the floor.
Buddy Hield and Gui Santos earned starts during Green’s absence, but it will be Gary Payton II elevated to the starting five on Monday vs. Boston, tweets Slater. Moses Moody has also played an increased role as of late and should continue to see regular minutes with Green on the shelf.
In more positive Warriors injury news, Stephen Curry will be active on Monday after spraining his left ankle in Saturday’s game.
One of the many reasons why the warriors shouldn’t make a big trade is so many injuries with the warriors. They can not stay healthy this year. When you are down 2 starters plus 2 big bench players it will be hard to win against healthy teams.
That’s true, but they arent beating anyone with GP2 at the 3/4.
Watching Buddy right now on the floor its like Celtics with 6 players to GSW 4. I rather see their 2 way players on the court than Buddy.
Warriors fans I know were excited to get Buddy this offseason. As a Kings fan, I tried to warn them of “The Buddy Hield Experience”. It’s been on full display this season.
You were correct it’s been a bad experience.
“As usual, his impact goes beyond the box score — Golden State has a +3.9 net rating during his time on the court and a -3.0 mark when he’s not on the floor”…Some people say that Draymond has no value to the Warriors. It will be tough to replace him when he retires.
They need to send Draymond Green‘s assets down the road February 6th.., 2 years ago !!
Curry would probably demand a trade if that happened.
ok Gary. just cuz you say so.
ThePeople‘sElbow what does that even mean?
I don’t know anybody on the Warriors, they don’t listen to me, they don’t read these comments, and I really am just a fan who knows nothing besides my opinion.
It wouldn’t happen because “I say so” that’s for sure.
His value is based on the fact that the rest of the team sucks so much that he os their best option. That is not a good thing at all, if Draymond is your best option in 2025 you are not a championship contending team. It doesnt matter if he is a plus, 3.7 is basically nothing, it just shows the Warriors are an average team. If you told me they were +18 with him on the floor that would be a different story. His declining production + his antics + big salary + injuries mean that they have to get rid of him asap
I don’t think Gary was saying Draymond has no value, only that it was time to trade him. Draymond’s value, including for trade, is evaporating. What’s more, his $27M/yr contract will soon have negative value. That’s right, negative.
It’s not that Draymond doesn’t play well when available, it’s that his availability is poor already, and should get even worse with age. That poor availability makes his $27M/yr deal over-valued.
Draymond is 35 years old, and will be owed $27M/yr for the next 2.5 years. When he returns from this injury, he will have missed at at least 35% of games this year (as history predicted). And, he now plays only 7/12 of the 48 minutes in the games he dresses for. That means his “true availability” (the number of minutes you can count on him over a season) is 37%. Yes, that’s bad.
Because of predictably poor availability, Draymond’s $27M contract projects to be roughly twice his true value in the future. It will likely feel like a boat-anchor in 2025-26 and in 2026-27.
If you’re serious about making another run with Steph, that $27M slot must go to a more available player whose performance is not on the decline.
Didnt these clowns declare Moses Moody, a 2/SG by every metric, a “power forward” because he played well there against 2 horrible teams aka no real reason? Gary Payton 2 is not a starter in this league. Kerr is astonishingly bad at his job.
Didn’t you read Aristotle‘s comments? Kerr is trying to set a record for most starting lineups in a season.
then why wont he copy whats working in Cleveland and start Looney, TJD, Dray, Wiggs, Steph??? Why does Kerr NEVER EVER use 2 bigs at once? Literally every other HC will if the situation needs it. Kerr always goes 1 big 4 smalls in every possible scenario, its downright infuriating!
Because Evan Mobley is like Chet, AD, Siakam.., they can shoot the three they can handle. Looney and Jackson Davis do none of that. At least that’s how I see it.
MOODY SUCKS
Buddy says hold my coffee.
I was gonna say this above, you know what I like Buddy. He can get hot and he knows how to score. He’s a professional out there offensively.
He’s a 15 to 17 point guy. He tries on defense. I don’t think he ever gives up or is totally outmatched out there.
He’s had some cold spells here with the Warriors, but I’m not hating on Buddy Hield. He’s proven his worth in this league.
But yes, I gave you a thumbs up for the funny quip.
what evidence do you see that he’s a 15-17 pt guy? could it be the last 2 months where he’s shooting 37%FG / 30%3FG and 9.5 ppg?
Elbow, because he’s done it before?
And though he’s averaged less than 15 the last few years, coming into San Francisco he’s been given the greenlight to shoot when possible.., at least to start the season.
So perhaps those numbers from the beginning of the year could’ve continued, but unfortunately, they have not.
link to basketball-reference.com
Moody is 22 and learning the game. He is improving the more minutes he gets. The Celtics are very good and at full strength, the Warriors are mid and currently missing half their team. I see a lot of Kawhi in Moody’s game, and a pinch of prime Klay too. All he needs is to start every game for 2 months and he will show out, he already has before, then Kerr decides he’s gunna replace him with Podz for no reason, everyone forgets + he was hurt this year, also putting him back in his development, but soon you will see, @Gary!
Moody is not worth $13M per year, that’s for sure.
The Warriors need to be sellers at the deadline this year. They tried, with fiscal responsibility, to add some vets that looked like they may help the team become playoff participants at least on paper.
It hasn’t worked out, but with that responsibility, they can be big players this summer if a big fish becomes available.
They’ll have their own draft pick plus whoever will give them more pics young guys for some of these veterans like Buddy Hield Dennis Schroder, Gary Payton, Kevon Looney, and dare I say Jonathan Kuminga.
Maybe a playoff team will even take Draymond Green if they think he’s the missing piece with his grit and hustle and fire and defense.
A protected first for Green? Maybe the Lakers think he can get them over the edge and go from play in hopeful to 6 seed? The Lakers will need a 9 team trade to pull it off, but you never know lol.
they are not trading Draymond.
I know you’re right, but I wish they would.
Players they should trade:
B. Podziemski – too raw for Curry’s prime, too low IQ, too far away from being a good player in this league. He’s got a decentish floor and energy so he has plenty of trade value.
GP2 – makes too much money but Kerr is playing him in too-important parts of the game, he’s not built for that, never has been. He’s a burst player. He’s best at 15 MPG. Why does Kerr think he suddenly can be more than that? Another guy in the way of more Moody playing time.
Buddy Hield – sunk cost fallacy, yes, some of you on here all “warned” us Warriors fans about Buddy, but holy hell, he’s never been this cold, ever. You might have “warned” us, but he is blowing through your own floor on how low and long he can go. We know the second he gets traded he goes back to 40% from 3. Why us?
Dennis Schroder – see above + can’t operate with both Steph and Dray, yet idiot Kerr wants him to. Another guy who went from 30 point threat to averaging single digits, for no reason too, its all missed layups and open 3s. Why us?
Pat Spencer – enough with the make a wish kid crap, this guy is running training drills out there. Not an NBA-level talent. Stop allowing him this space. He needs to be playing regular mins in Europe. No one wins with this novelty player, GSW lose every time he plays, and he loses development time. Go back to Lacrosse man, you’re way better at it.
Gui Santos – similar to Podz, he’s far away from being something in this league, but he has decentish tools and might be a regular starter at some point in his career. He has some trade value + money too.
Andrew Wiggins – massive salary says he has to go if a good player comes back, although he has kicked his game up since I started writing “Wiggins makes 20-25 PPG money but never puts up those numbers”. Harrison Barnes is still better than Wiggins, even today. Wiggins just not showing up for work because he’s sad is some wild ish. Us regular people have to go back to work the day after a funeral. Rich people problems.
Man you actually had a pretty good post working till you had to slam Wiggins the last 2 sentences smh.
I’ll give the like for the make a wish kid drop tho that was good
Can only be good news for the Warriors as it will free up playing time for a productive player…
Productive in getting more lottery balls…The losses are a coming.
They were coming anyway…
The Warriors are just likely to have more points, rebounds and stocks from the rest of the starters now…
Huh? What? More stocks? The Warriors rebound better, score more and play better defense when he is in there. Where do you get the idea that they don’t?
One thing for sure the third string is not very good with marginal players. Reason why they should sell at trade deadline. Get ready for next year. Inconsistent is the word for many. I would offer around Wiggins for some young players and a 1st rounder.
Draymond doesn’t contribute…
He’s had too many zero burgers in those categories…
The team might be better at playing clean up for Draymond than playing as a team without him… But he ain’t helping the Warriors win anything…
Thank you God, signed a Warriors fan
Why do you hate the Warriors?
I dont, Draymond is a shell of his former self and does more harm than good. They need to get rid of him asap.
I’m glad someone gets it..