Harrison Barnes’ left ankle sprain wasn’t supposed to sideline him for that long.
But it might.
Speaking on 95.7 The Game, Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers revealed that the fourth-year swingman could miss way more time than initially expected.
Per Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group:
Bob Myers told 95.7 The Game Harrison Barnes isn't in a walking boot, but gait not normal. "I don't see it happening in the next week."
— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) December 4, 2015
Bob Myers to 95.7 The Game on Harrison Barnes return: "It's not right around the corner. I don't know if it will be a week or two or more."
— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) December 4, 2015
One doctor seems to think that Barnes’ timetable extends past two weeks—well past two weeks.
From Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle:
“It’s been pretty well established that high ankle sprains take a longer recovery period,” said Dr. Ken Jung, a foot and ankle surgeon at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. He said the ligaments above the ankle — called syndesmoses — can call for about a six-week recovery.
When Barnes landed on Markieff Morris’ foot Friday night in Phoenix, he immediately went to the floor and grabbed the area above his sock on his left leg. He tried to put weight on the foot on his way to the locker room but couldn’t and has been on crutches since. That would indicate a “severe” high ankle sprain.
Jung said that once Barnes gets control of the pain and swelling, he will start working on his range of motion. Through rest, ice and taping or bracing, Barnes will eventually advance to putting weight on his left foot and then probably do a battery of balancing and strengthening drills before progressing to running, jumping and cutting.
Hardly ideal, obviously. But the Warriors can handle it.
Calling Barnes expendable would be a stretch. He’s a safety net against other injuries if nothing else. He can be a lethal spot-up shooter, so he works as the fourth banana to Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, yet he’s still able to generate his own offense with a vast array of drives and post-ups.
But the Warriors still own what would be a league-best net rating without him on the floor, according to NBA.com. Ian Clark is also shooting out of his mind. So while Barnes’ potentially extensive stay on the shelf isn’t ideal, it is manageable. That’s all any team in the Warriors’ situation could ask for—except, of course, the Warriors themselves. They’ll expect more.
Even without Barnes, they’ll still expect, and subsequently gun for, perfection.
