Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni has confirmed that swingman Gerald Green is likely out for the 2019-20 season.
Per Mark Berman of Fox 26, a disappointed D'Antoni confirmed the sad news:
Mike D’Antoni on Gerald Green: “He’s out all year I think. That’s too bad. I hate it for him.” pic.twitter.com/QeAYT3wNUM
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) October 16, 2019
Green suffered the injury during the Rockets' preseason game against the Toronto Raptors in Japan. It was initially diagnosed as a sprain. They found out that it was a broken foot and was expected to be out for a few months. However, the injury was worse than expected and the 33-year-old is set to miss the entire 2019-20 season. He had been averaging 10.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 14.6 minutes over three games this preseason
Green joined the Rockets in the 2017-18 season for his second stint with the team. He quickly rose as one of the key pillars of the squad, offering a steady stroke from downtown and occasional highlight dunks. Last year, he played 73 games and averaged 9.2 points and 2.5 rebounds. He shot 40 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from deep. With Green out, D'Antoni will likely increase Austin Rivers and Ben McLemore's minutes.
While this is not a major loss, the fact that Green already knows D'Antoni's system makes him a key foundational piece. The Rockets are one of the better teams in the West. As such, the primary goal is to win the title. They will have to find ways to fill in the void that Green has left if they want to succeed in this year's campaign.
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