The fact that the Warriors are off to the best start in franchise history without David Lee is remarkable. He’s only played seven minutes this season because of a hamstring injury, which has been bothering him since the last game of the pre-season.
At 19-2, the Warriors sit atop the NBA standings. Once David Lee returns, the Warriors will add another dimension to their offense. According to Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle, Lee was able to play 3-on-3 after practice today, which is an encouraging sign:
David Lee (left hamstring) is participating in a post-practice game of 3-on-3. He still has to clear some hurdles to get back into a game.
— Rusty Simmons (@Rusty_SFChron) December 11, 2014
Lee will probably not play in this upcoming road trip, but he should return soon. There is no rush to bring him back, but they will need him down the road, especially in the post-season. He will need time to adjust and find a flow on this team. He did play during the pre-season, so he has a good grasp of the system Steve Kerr has in place.
Lee averaged 18.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game last season. It will be interesting to see where he fits in the rotation. Draymond Green has flourished in the starting line-up and Marreese Speights has been a surprise off the bench. Having Lee back will give Kerr much more to think about, but it’s a good problem to have.