The Golden State Warriors are about to begin the regular season while already missing two of their starters. Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porzingis will not be available at the start of the season as they continue working through their respective issues.
For Porzingis, the situation is a little more complicated, as he is dealing with a sudden health concern. Golden State recently released a statement.
“The specific contents of that meeting will remain private. Porzingis will remain out indefinitely due to the same health-related matter but will be around the team. An update on his status, including the potential resumption of practice, playing status, or timeline, will be provided when available and appropriate,” the franchise stated in a press release.
Butler is recovering from an ACL injury and isn't expected to return until January or February.
“Butler has been slowly increasing his on-court work while traveling the globe this summer, and the most recent strength tests on his right ACL recovery have shown notable progress, according to league sources. But Butler still has extensive rehab work ahead. He is expected to be limited to individual court and strength work when training camp opens in a month, league sources said, with the 36-year-old forward needing more time to be cleared for a full contact setting. A return in January or February can be considered an optimistic target," ESPN’s Anthony Slater wrote.
The Warriors are thin and have been trying to build chemistry during their preseason games. However, head coach Steve Kerr doesn't believe the team is where it needs to be.
“We’re not anywhere close to where we want to be, but we’re working on the right things,” Kerr said.
The good thing is that it is still the preseason, giving the Warriors time to work through these issues before the regular season begins. The bad thing is that they cannot enter the regular season without a clear identity or a defined approach to how they want to play.
Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Kerr know that something needs to be figured out quickly, or the team could get off to a slow start. Golden State has strong leaders, so there is reason to believe they can make progress toward their goals relatively quickly.
