Curry, Green skip Warriors minicamp as NBA teams return to practice
FILE – Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors high fives Draymond Green during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Western Conference Finals. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines—Golden State stars Stephen Curry and Draymond Green won’t be joining the team during its minicamp, citing family reasons.
In a report from ESPN.com, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said the team’s camp is “voluntary” and that he and general manager Bob Myers have been in constant communication with Green and Curry.
“Bob and I have both been in touch with Steph and Draymond and we are well aware of their circumstances. And so they both have important family issues to attend to and so they have excused absences,” said Kerr.
The teams who didn’t qualify for the NBA Bubble in Orlando have started their camps heading into the 2020-21 season.
Curry and wife Ayesha have three kids at home while Green and his fiancee Hazel just welcomed a baby girl to their family.
Kerr and the other Warriors did not seem concerned that two of their top players are not with them during the camp.
“Would I like them to be here? Of course,” said Kerr in the report. “We know, we’re watching all these teams in the bubble; the ones that didn’t make the playoffs, even they got six weeks together to practice and play games and try different combinations and lineups.”
“A lot of guys are going to get a lot better and really thrive in this environment. I’m not worried about Steph and Draymond; I know how hard they work and I know they’ll be prepared for next season.”
Klay Thompson, one-half of the Splash Brothers with Curry, is expected to join the team this week while big man Eric Paschall also missed Wednesday’s practice.
Kerr said that Thompson and Paschall will still go through the NBA’s testing protocol.
The three-time champion coach added that Thompson is “doing well” after his recovery from a torn ACL that left him out of the whole 2019-20 season.
“He worked out here at the facility for several days in a row, maybe four or five days in a row with [assistant coach] Chris DeMarco, and Chris gave me really positive updates. I was here for a couple of those days and got a chance to see him, and Klay looks great. And he’s anxious to play, so we’re excited about that,” said Kerr.
