Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Amid an already well-traveled pro career, Marquese Chriss had appeared to have found his niche. The Warriors valued his excellent athleticism and he was comfortable in the early going as a backup big man, a season after proving to himself and Golden State he’s an NBA player.
He was putting in extra work toward ensuring he lasts when his season and future were thrown into the unknown.
The Warriors were running a scrimmage after practice Saturday filled with players who had not gotten much run in Milwaukee on Friday. The 23-year-old Chriss went up for a lob and landed awkwardly on his right leg.
Surgery is next, having suffered a right syndesmosis ankle injury with a fibular fracture, the Warriors said, and a return this season is not likely. Steve Kerr said he and the team are “devastated” for the power forward.
“I just feel so horrible for Quese,” the Warriors coach said over Zoom before Sunday’s game in Chicago. “He’s been such a great person, great teammate, hard worker. And he’s really come along over the last year, year and a half as somebody who has a future in this league and has been very helpful for us.
“We’re going to miss him. He was playing well.”
Chriss had averaged 13.5 minutes a game before the blow, a capable backup to the emerging James Wiseman, who will start to see an uptick of time not just because of his play but because of the team’s sudden dearth of big men.
Kevon Looney becomes the backup with the third-string center now Eric Paschall, Kerr suggested. As position-less as the Warriors aspire to be, a 6-feet-6 center is a tough ask against a quality opposing big man. Alen Smailagic (knee injury) has yet to play.
Paschall will be needed because Wiseman cannot handle the load just yet. The intriguing No. 2-overall pick did not have a training camp and got in just a few practices before impressing in the first two games, having played 24 and 25 minutes, respectively. The Warriors want to take it slow with the 19-year-old.
“James is not quite ready to play heavy minutes,” Kerr said before trying for the team’s first win/respectable result of the season. “I think [Wiseman] will be before too long.”
The Warriors also will lack Draymond Green, who has yet to see time with a foot issue and is expected to sit Tuesday in Detroit as well. That would position him to debut in the Warriors’ home opener on Jan. 1 against the Trail Blazers.
Will the Warriors be winless then and already peeking toward next offseason’s draft? Or will the team have shown that they’re competitive, just not against the Nets and Bucks?
The matchup with the 0-2 Bulls will be illustrative and give a glimpse at how the season can unfold, as well as what the Warriors’ big-men lineup now is.