Andrew Bogut’s health continues to betray him.
The big man has missed 65 games combined in each of the two previous seasons and has already missed five of the Golden State Warriors’ first 25 contests for 2014-15. And he’s going to miss more.
How many more?
We don’t know.
From the Bay Area News Group’s Diamond Leung:
Warriors center Andrew Bogut underwent platelet-rich plasma therapy on his injured right knee Wednesday and is expected to miss an indefinite number of weeks, according to his agent.
Agent David Bauman expressed relief Thursday that the bone stress issue resulting in the inflammation in Bogut’s knee is treatable while also wondering if the 7-footer might have returned earlier had the team not initially diagnosed the condition as tendinitis.
The Warriors set no timetable for Bogut’s return. Bauman compared the Bogut situation to Houston’s Dwight Howard, who missed a little more than three weeks after receiving platelet-rich plasma therapy on his strained right knee.
“Thank God it’s nothing major,” said Bauman, whose Relativity Sports agency also represents Howard. “It’s a temporary setback.
“I’m not going to say two, three, four weeks, but that’s probably a reasonable assumption if all goes well, and then he’ll return sometime in January.”
Ten days after reporting Bogut had tendinitis, the Warriors announced the 30-year-old elected to receive an injection to address the chondromalacia and bone edema that caused swelling and instability. The team reported that the big man consulted its medical staff and his personal physician from Australia.
Welp.
It’s not as if the Warriors cannot survive without Bogut. They’re 4-1 without him and nearly took down the equally harrowing Memphis Grizzlies in their lone loss. The team is actually a plus-six points per 100 possessions without him on the floor, according to NBA.com.
But they’re also a plus-19.7 with him in the game. Their league best defense is nearly eight points better per 100 possessions with him in tow as well. He’s been vital to their success thus far and his absence, however long, does compromise their ability to continue winning at historic rates.
More pointedly, it’s yet another injury for the absence-prone Bogut. That’s something the Warriors no doubt have to consider now that he’s on the wrong side of 30 and under contract through 2016-17. Does he have a long-term future with this team, or are they, perhaps, better off trying to deal him ahead of 2016 free agency, electing for cap flexibility instead?
While seemingly crass, the notion isn’t unfounded. Bogut will never be someone who gives the Warriors 70-plus games a season. Appearing in 65 has become something of an accomplishment, and even that might be ambitious. No matter how good the Warriors are with him—and even without him—they need stability. Stephen Curry is in his prime, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes aren’t far behind, Andre Iguodala is struggling statistically and David Lee has played all of seven minutes this season. The rotational dynamic has, frankly, been a mess. That the Warriors hold the league’s best record is somewhat astonishing, knowing the pratfalls and pitfalls their up against.
At some point, though, navigating recurrent adversity shouldn’t be the standard. As good as the Warriors are—and as legitimate as they are—this is a powerhouse that may, out of necessity, have a short shelf life.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
