According to Warriors PR, all-star forward and perennial Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green will be missing the next two weeks due to a calf injury. His injury, which he suffered last week, has been aggravated by a prior disc issue in his back that has flared up once again, and he will be re-evaluated for a return to play in two weeks.

The Warriors have lost 5 out of their last 7 games, a majority of which have been played without Dray on the floor. As Steph Curry continues to struggle somewhat, and Klay Thompson continues to be re-acquainted with the NBA level of basketball, the Warriors seem to have some things to figure out with specifically their offense, although the defense has been shaky without their primary shot-caller on the floor to help them out.

While this stretch has certainly been rough for Warriors fans and players alike, it’s widely agreed-upon that this is the time of year (if any) for the squad to go through a rough patch. What is good about these kinds of games is that the younger players get experience in an environment that isn’t 100% in their favor. The outbreak of guys like Jonathan Kuminga and even Moses Moody in the G-League has shown that the Warriors are indeed right in their gambling on the “future is now” philosophy.

Draymond Green has led the Warriors to be the best defensive team in the league when he plays. As he plays the 5, he can guard some of the best centers in the NBA when called upon and can switch onto any position on the floor. There’s plenty of evidence, both rating-wise and film-wise, which support this.

The question has to be asked, however, if playing Draymond as center is a viable solution for big-men beating up on the Dubs constantly down low. He’s an excellent defender at the position, especially given his size, but that kind of physicality is rarely sustainable when you’re going against guys who are just as physical but much larger.

James Wiseman’s return should be key in helping to sustain those Draymond minutes where he plays the 5 and thus leaving him less injury-prone, but there’s also the question of if Wiseman will be playoff-ready. There’s plenty of evidence to suggest he’s not, and a lack of experience this season through the same adversity other young guns have faced is something to note, but some guys are just built different.

It remains to be seen if Wiseman is one of those guys, but for now, the Warriors may need to look into extra big-man insurance. Chris Chiozza’s play hasn’t inspired much joy for fans recently, and he hasn’t been productive, so maybe bringing in a Jordan Bell or other G-League guy ready for some extra minutes in this stretch to test the waters would be productive. After all, a lot of pundits said Bell could mirror Green’s productivity. Another option could just be to make more minutes for Kuminga, who has had an excellent stretch recently.

Draymond Green figures to return either late in or after the upcoming 7-game home-stretch with this news. The Warriors will miss his production, but will be happy to have him back whenever they do. In the meantime, assuming Curry’s hand injury is not serious like he says, the squad may be able to shift focus in having Steph be late-season and playoff-ready by getting him back in rhythm.

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