After missing one game in the NBA’s health and safety protocol, Kevon Looney was cleared to return to the team on Sunday. However, the Warriors are still waiting on two more players to make their return from the protocol.
On March 17, James Wiseman and Eric Paschall entered the league’s health and safety protocol for contact tracing. Initially, the pair of players were slated to miss the next seven days. Yet, there’s a chance the players could return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers.
In a post-practice video conference on Monday, Steve Kerr told members of the media Wiseman and Paschall could “possibly” play against the Sixers at Chase Center on Tuesday.
Eric [Paschall] and James [Wiseman] could possibly play tomorrow. They were not allowed to practice today. We’re hopeful everything goes fine with their testing, which it has been, but they have to complete another couple of tests and if they do, there’s a chance they’ll be available tomorrow.
Listen to Kerr’s full presser from Monday via Warriors SoundCloud.
With the Eastern Conference-leading 76ers in town, Paschall and Wiseman’s return would provide a needed boost to Golden State’s frontcourt. Without the pair, the Warriors have leaned on Draymond Green, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Alen Smailagic at power forward and center.
Along with help in the frontcourt, Paschall and Wiseman would bring more depth and stability to Golden State’s thin second unit. Before entering the protocol, Wiseman was averaging 11.8 points on 52.6% shooting from the field with 6.0 boards and 1.0 blocks per contest.
Paschall has been one of Golden State’s leaders in the second unit, tallying 9.5 points on 49.3% shooting from the field with 3.2 rebounds in 17.4 minutes off the bench.
The Warriors will welcome the Sixers to Chase Center on Tuesday at 7 p.m. PT.
