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Warriors Rumors: Marquese Chriss to Miss Rest of Season with Ankle, Leg Injury
December 27, 2020
Golden State Warriors forward Marquese Chriss suffered a "right syndesmosis ankle injury with a fibular fracture" during Saturday's practice, an injury that Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported will cost Chriss the remainder of the 2020-21 NBA season.
"He went up for a lob and landed awkwardly," coach Steve Kerr told reporters after Sunday's 129-128 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
The team announced Chriss will undergo surgery in the coming days.
Chriss is the second Warriors player lost for the year after Klay Thompson tore his right Achilles tendon. He appeared to reference the injury on Instagram:
The 23-year-old was averaging 6.5 points and 6.5 rebounds through Golden State's first two games.
One small silver lining to a disastrous 2019-20 campaign for the team was that it could experiment with younger players who would've otherwise been unable to contribute for a franchise gunning for a title.
Chriss took advantage of the opportunity and averaged 9.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 59 appearances. He gained a fan in Warriors star Draymond Green.
Now, Kerr will have little choice but to increase James Wiseman's role in the rotation because Wiseman and Kevon Looney are the only healthy, viable options at center.
Wiseman has looked good early on, compiling 37 total points and 14 rebounds in 49 minutes on the floor.
Of course, Golden State is 0-2 with a minus-65 point differential, and Wiseman might be a liability on the defensive end if he plays more minutes. The 7-footer is solid inside but could struggle when opponents switch him onto smaller guards away from the basket.
The Warriors knew they'd be without Thompson, but last season quickly spiraled because of Stephen Curry's broken hand. Chriss didn't single-handedly control Golden State's fortunes, but a similar situation is arising as the injuries are already piling up.