INJURY EXCEPTION?

Medical Watch:

F Brandan Wright (torn labrum) underwent surgery Oct. 9. His recovery time is estimated to be six months, so there's a good chance he won't play at all in 2009-10.

C Andris Biedrins (strained groin and abdominal muscles) has been told to take two weeks off after experiencing what he thought was back pain in the Nov. 7 loss at Sacramento. He will be re-evaluated after the two-week layoff and could miss additional time. He did not accompany the Warriors on their current five-game road trip.

C Ronny Turiaf (sprained left knee) missed a seventh consecutive game after suffering the injury Oct. 30. An MRI revealed no damage, and the Warriors hope to get him back at practice in the next week.

F Kelenna Azubuike (sprained left knee) suffered what was initially diagnosed as a patella injury in his left knee in the third minute of Saturday's loss in Milwaukee. He was carted off the court and sent straight back to Oakland. He will undergo further tests in the Bay Area, missing the Warriors' last two games of their trip. His season could be over.

F Devean George (sore left knee) has yet to see action in the regular season. His injury is not considered serious.


Add C.J. Watson to the list with H1N1 and you are left with only 8 healthy bodies. With Wright and Azubuike out for the remainder of the year, could the Warriors get an 'Injury Exception' to field a competitive squad?



From Larry Coon's NBA Salary Cap FAQ:

DISABLED PLAYER EXCEPTION -- This exception allows a team which is over the cap to acquire a replacement for a disabled player who will be out for the remainder of that season (if the player is disabled between July 1 and November 30) or the following season (if the player is disabled after November 30). This exception can also be granted in the event of a player's death. This exception can only be used to acquire one player. The maximum salary for the replacement player is 50% of the injured player's salary, or the average salary, whichever is less (see question number 24 for the definition of "average salary"). Approval from the league (based on a determination by an NBA-designated physician) is required for this exception to be used. This exception can be used to sign a free agent, or to create room to accept a salary in trade. When used for trade, the team may acquire a player whose salary (including any trade bonus) is up to 100% of this exception plus $100,000 (not 125%). Also see question number 20 for more information on the availability and use of this exception.

If a player is disabled between July 1 and November 30, the team must acquire the replacement player within 45 days. If the player is disabled between December 1 and June 30, then the team has until October 1 to sign a replacement. If the disabled player comes back sooner than expected, then he may be activated immediately, and the replacement player is not affected. However, if the disabled player comes back before the exception is used, then the exception is lost.

Teams sometimes have had difficulty getting the NBA to approve an injury exception. For example, Danny Manning tore an ACL toward the end of the 1997-98 season, yet the NBA did not approve the Suns for this exception. More recently, the Magic did not receive this exception in 2003 for Grant Hill. However, this exception was granted in the 1999 offseason to San Antonio, so they could replace Sean Elliott, who was disabled due to kidney problems. This exception was also granted to Charlotte soon after Bobby Phills was killed.


Devean George could be activated, but it would be nice to be able to open up a slot on the roster to sign another diamond in the rough from the D-League or be able to stash a prospect coming back from a multi-player trade. The Warriors should be exploring this option if they are not already looking into it.