Will Draymond Green, James Wiseman return this season for Warriors?

The Golden State Warriors are once again looking like title contenders after a few down seasons in the Bay. Stephen Curry is playing at a MVP level, Klay Thompson appears to be fully healthy and the team’s rotation can go 10 deep in a crucial game. There are still two players the Warriors would like to see back in the fold for the playoffs, with Draymond Green and James Wiseman sidelined at the moment. The latter has yet to take the court this season, while Green is dealing with a disc issue that has kept him out since January 9.

Draymond Green/James Wiseman injury updates

March 25 update: The Warriors have ruled Wiseman out for the rest of the season, so he’s going to have to wait until the 2022-23 campaign to return to the floor. Even if the Warriors make a deep playoff run, expect Wiseman to remain on the bench.

March 16 update: The Warriors have recalled James Wiseman from the G-League, which means the prized big man could be close to returning to the court. Golden State is getting its key pieces back at the right time as it gears up for a playoff run.

March 14 update: Green is back in the lineup for Golden State Monday, and he’s expected to be on a minutes limit. The power forward will be playing between 20 to 23 minutes in this contest, so we’ll see where he’s at in that time. This is still great news for the Warriors, who hope to overtake the Grizzlies for the No. 2 seed.

March 12 update: According to Steve Kerr, Green will return to the court for the Warriors Monday. This is a huge step for the forward and Golden State. Green will likely be on a minutes limit but the Warriors have missed his defense and creation skills. With him back in the mix, this team will once again be considered the group to beat in the West.

March 6 update: According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Green will be back in 7-10 days. That puts him in position to return between March 13-16. Golden State has games on the 12th, 14th, 16th and 20th as part of a homestand so we can expect Green to come back during this time.

March 2 update: Green is seen getting up shots here and looks to be moving around good. Anthony Slater is also reporting James Wiseman was part of this scrimmage, so it looks like the Warriors are set to get both players back in the near future.

February 25 update: The Warriors have assigned Wiseman to the G-League affiliate, which likely means he’s going to get game action there. That’s the next step in his eventual return to the court for Golden State.

Green picked up what was initially called a calf injury in Golden State’s Jan. 9 game against the Cavaliers. This was Thompson’s return game, so Green took the floor for seven seconds and then intentionally fouled a player to leave the game. The defensive star has not played since then and the Warriors changed his injury designation to a disc issue. That’s a lot more significant than a calf strain. Green himself said he’s expecting to come back at some point after the All-Star break, but there is no official timeline for his return.

For Wiseman, the story is a bit different. The promising center has managed to progress slowly in his rehab from a torn meniscus and was cleared for 5-on-5 drills recently. Golden State has been taking its time with this injury, so it looks like Wiseman won’t be returning the floor any time soon. The Warriors could have him back for the final games of the regular season but at this point it seems more likely he’ll get playoff minutes. Green is the player more likely to return in the regular season.

From a fantasy and betting perspective, the Warriors are still a favorable team to back. Kevon Looney is a seasoned big man who has been filling in well for Green and Wiseman, so there’s been little dropoff. The upside is not there, but Golden State is in no danger of missing the playoffs. The Warriors will hope to be healthy for the postseason, and a Curry-Thompson-Green core has never lost a playoff series where all three guys were on the court for the entire time.