Every Golden State Warrior not named Stephen Curry will take the court not knowing if this will be his final Chase Center home game Tuesday night when the team faces the resurgent Philadelphia 76ers in San Francisco.
Engulfed in trade rumors mostly revolving around the possible addition of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the departure of Jonathan Kuminga, or both, the Warriors will tip off for the final time before Thursday’s afternoon trade deadline.
Traded five times after he was drafted in his own playing career, Golden State coach Steve Kerr recognizes the difficulty of focusing on basketball games while drama such as a possible move to another city hangs over his players’ heads.
“That’s the job,” Kerr said this week. “It’s no fun to see your name in a trade rumor. But it’s the job. We talk about that frequently. Not all the time, but we mention it.
“It’s a great job. But, also, there’s some difficult aspects. And this is one.”
Nothing has come easily for the Warriors this season, although things appeared to be trending upward with 11 wins in 15 games before Jimmy Butler III was lost for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee on Jan. 19.
Golden State has since lost four of six games, including 131-124 at home to the Detroit Pistons last Friday when Curry sat out with a sore right knee. He already has been ruled out of Tuesday’s game.
Kuminga has sat out four consecutive games since he sustained a bruised left knee on Jan. 22 in Dallas.
While the intriguing prospect has been able to practice some in the past four days, it appears the Warriors likely will keep him out through the trade deadline.
The 76ers, meanwhile, will play the second night of a back-to-back, their third game since the announcement that Paul George had been suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s drug policy.
Philadelphia overcame George’s absence in a 124-114 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday that capped a 3-0 homestand. The 76ers didn’t skip a beat on the other coast Monday, thumping the host Los Angeles Clippers 128-113.
Joel Embiid contributed 24 points to Monday’s win. He has played in 16 of the 76ers’ last 19 games, scoring 22 or more points in all of them, but all three absences were part of back-to-backs. He is scheduled to sit out on Tuesday.
The 76ers have lost the last four games in which Embiid hasn’t played.
Like the Warriors, the 76ers have a big hole in their lineup (the George suspension). But riding a four-game winning streak, there are fewer rumors hovering as they continue their five-game trip.
“As (the) trade deadline … when I was younger, I was a part of every situation,” 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey told reporters this week. “You just got to keep your head low. Keep working. Whatever happens, happens.
“I like this group. I think the group is really good, really tight, and guys like each other.”
Stepping in again for George, Dominick Barlow was the star of Monday’s win with 26 points and 16 rebounds.
