Tag: Jacob Evans

Injured Warriors backcourt duo could return during current road trip

The Warriors have been riddled with injuries to their backcourt, but reinforcements could be on the way in the form of D’Angelo Russell and Jacob Evans III.

A tear of injuries has ravaged the Warriors roster from top-to-bottom, with the biggest hit coming to the backcourt. Injuries to Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry and D’Angelo Russell have made headlines, but even bench pieces like Damion Lee and Jacob Evans have missed extended time.

After leading the NBA in games missed due to injury all season long, help could finally be coming to the backcourt with the return of both Russell and Jacob Evans III.

The injured backcourt duo traveled with the team to start their current five-game road swing and could return to the lineup before they return home.

According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Russell is making progress with his right thumb sprain. He will miss the next two games with the target to return at either the tail end of the road trip or at the start of the upcoming homestand.

Slater also reported that second-year guard, Evans practiced with the team after the Miami game and could even return by the end of the road trip. Evans has missed 17 of the team’s 20 games this season with an adductor injury, but looks to be on his way back in a season that initially had high expectations.

With several departures and injuries in the offseason, the Warriors 2018 first-round pick was slated to have an increased role at point guard in Steve Kerr’s offense.

Any fresh body will provide a boost to a Warriors rotation that is currently only running out only nine healthy players.

Positive news for trio of injured Warriors on path to return soon

Reinforcements on the way for the injured Warriors with three players potentially returning during the team’s five-game road trip.

The start of the Golden State Warriors 2019-20 season has been defined by injury. Name a player on the Golden State roster, and there’s a chance they’ve spent time attached to the injury report. The team currently leads the NBA in games missed with injury by a mile-size gap, but help could be on the way.

The Warriors got some positive news to start their five-game road trip, with three players returning to practice before Golden State tipped off with the Miami Heat.

Kevon Looney (neuropathic condition), D’Angelo Russell (right thumb), and Jacob Evans III (adductor) were all spotted at Warriors practice to start the road trip. Each player took steps towards the path to return to the Warriors lineup during the team’s five-game road swing.

Kevon Looney

After missing all but 10-minutes of the start of Golden State’s season, Looney has been back practicing with the team for almost a week now, and his return to the floor could be coming very soon. Steve Kerr told reporters during Friday’s shootaround that the Warriors are targeting the Atlanta Hawks game on Monday for Looney’s return.

Both Kerr and Looney mentioned that even though he’s healthy, he needed a couple more practices under his belt to build up conditioning. The team is being patient with Looney’s return as he’s slated to have a featured role for Kerr’s squad after signing a three-year, $15 million contract over the offseason.

Jacob Evans III

Another Warrior who had high expectations for the 2019-20 season, Jacob Evans, returned to with a full practice in Miami. Evans’s adductor injury timetable has been somewhat of a mystery, but seeing Evans on the floor is a positive sign.

The former first-round pick was slated to handle the ball as a point guard more with the departure of Shaun Livingston. Anthony Slater of The Athletic said the Warriors are planning to practice Evans again in Orlando, with a return to the lineup on this road trip being possible.

D’Angelo Russell

The best news of the day might’ve come when the Warriors injured All-Star guard was seen working out without any protection over his sprained right thumb.

After missing the past seven games, Slater said Russell could be back as soon as the team’s current road trip. Before getting injured, Russell was playing his best basketball of the season, serving as Kerr’s primary scorer on offense.

The return of Looney, Evans and Russell would give the Warriors one of their healthiest units since the start of the season. By the end of the five-game road trip, Golden State could finally get a glimpse of Draymond Green, Eric Paschall, Russell and Looney on the floor together— all players who look to be apart of the team’s long term plans.

Kevon Looney and Alen Smailagic on path to return soon for Warriors

Three newly healthy players could be joining the injury-laden Warriors sooner than later.

[jwplayer 3hhPHX9C-z6KDnl0B]

For the first time in what seems like a long time, the Golden State Warriors got some good news as the team announced updates on three injured players.

Kevon Looney (neuropathic condition), Alen Smailagic (sprained right ankle) and Jacob Evans (strained left adductor) all received new timetables before the Warriors tipped off in Memphis.

The Dubs desperately need any of the three to return as soon as possible, as they’re currently rolling with only nine healthy players.

Before returning to Golden State, Anthony Slater of The Athletic first reported Looney would spend the next few days with the Warriors G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors. The Dubs took a similar approach with the return of fellow big men—Willie Cauley-Stein early in the year and DeMarcus Cousins last season.

The former UCLA Bruin has missed all but 10-minutes of the 2019-20 season, making things difficult for the Warriors thin front-line. Golden State has relied on Omari Spellman and Marquese Chriss to pick up time rotating with Cauley-Stein.

Coach Steve Kerr told reporters in Memphis that he wouldn’t rule Looney out for Monday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but he wouldn’t dismiss the possibility that he could actually play.

“We will see how everything goes in Santa Cruz,” Kerr said. “I wouldn’t rule anything out, but I wouldn’t count on anything at this point.”

The team said they will provide another update regarding Looney on Sunday.

Looney’s impending return isn’t the only piece of good news for the Warriors; rookie Alen Smailagic will also head to Santa Cruz to get some “accelerated on-court basketball activities,” the team announced. The Serbian hasn’t made his NBA debut yet after getting injured back in training camp.

Smailagic is a bit of a mystery, but the Warriors will take any healthy body they can at this point. At a minimum, Smailagic will provide a burst of excitement to a struggling team.

Lastly, the team announced that second-year man, Jacob Evans is making progress after straining his left adductor. The former Bearcat has missed 11-games and counting this season, and will be re-evaluated again in two weeks, the team announced.

For the team that leads the NBA in games missed to injury by a healthy amount, any sign of players returning is a sign of relief for ravaged Dubs.

Reinforcements could be on the way soon for injury riddled Warriors

The Warriors season has been headlined by injury, but the good news is that help could be on the way.

[jwplayer KH1SqyKp-z6KDnl0B]

The one piece of consistency in the Golden State Warriors’ start to the 2019-20 season has been injuries.

Starting with Klay Thompson to Stephen Curry, and quickly trickling down from top to bottom of the team’s youthful roster.

Luckily for the Warriors, some hopeful reinforcements could be on the way—Friday the team announced center Kevon Looney (nerve condition), guard Jacob Evans (adductor) and rookie Alen Smailagic (ankle) will be reevaluated by team doctors Wednesday.

Even with help coming, the injuries haven’t slowed down, as D’Angelo Russell is the most recent Warrior to hit the injury report. The guard suffered a right-thumb sprain during Friday night’s Boston Celtics game. The one-time Ohio State Buckeye will miss the next two weeks and won’t travel with the team while they’re on road.

Seven of the Warriors’ 16-man roster is now dealing with injuries with Russell down, Steve Kerr will somehow have to craft a lineup with only nine healthy players.

On the positive side, each of the three players set to be reevaluated add intrigue to the young roster. Looney’s only played 10 minutes this season after signing a three-year, $15 million contract this offseason. When he returns, he will immediately provide defensive stability to the frontline that’s struggled with Willie Cauley-Stein, Marquese Chriss and Omari Spellman.

Evans III had high expectations after being drafted in the first round of 2018. The second-year man was expected to handle the ball more as a point guard behind Russell and Curry. Evans has played solid in three games this season after averaging six points and 1.7 rebounds per game in his rookie season out of Cincinnati.

Perhaps the most exciting recovery for the young Warriors is Smailagic, the 39th pick in 2019 draft. Warriors fans haven’t seen much from him, but there’s still a lot of buzz around the Serbian native. The rookie’s debut should provide some enthusiasm for Warriors fans in what looks like a lost season.

While the team is in Dallas during their four-game road swing, timetables should be updated for the three players on the mend. If any of the three can return soon, it’ll provide a ray of light to a roster that’s currently decimated with injuries.