LOS ANGELES -- The Golden State Warriors will be without starting guard Brandin Podziemski for their season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.
Podziemski sat out the previous three days of practice because of lower back soreness and the team had deemed him questionable before officially ruling him out on the eve of the opener.
Warriors star Stephen Curry is officially listed as probable because of right ankle soreness after an injury scare in the team's open scrimmage Sunday night. All indications are Curry will play against the Lakers after returning to practice this week, projected to log somewhere near 28-32 minutes.
The Podziemski deactivation, though, comes as a surprise. On an older team, the 23-year-old guard is considered their most durable and reliably available rotation player. He was one of only 18 players to appear in all 82 games last season.
Podziemski is entering his fourth season in the NBA and just received a lucrative commitment from the Warriors, signing a five-year, $110 million extension that will kick in next season.
The Warriors will also be without starting wings Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody for the next couple of months as they rehab serious knee injuries. Projected starting center Kristaps Porzingis is also out indefinitely while dealing with a private health issue.
The Lakers enter on the healthier side. Offseason acquisition Walker Kessler has been cleared to start at center in the opener after dealing with a finger issue in the preseason. Reserve guard Collin Sexton is questionable because of a calf strain. Rookie Cameron Carr and backup wing Adou Thiero are both out. Everyone else is available.