Warriors vets like Damian Jones’ positive outlook on season-ending injury

* * *

Subscribe to the Mercury News and East Bay Times for $40 a year and receive a free Warriors championship coffee table book

* * *

OAKLAND — The Warriors’ trusted veteran nearly lost his whole NBA career after breaking his left leg and dislocating his left knee cap. Nearly a decade later, Shaun Livingston sensed third-year center Damian Jones having the right perspective on handling a torn pectoral muscle that will likely sideline him for the remainder of the 2018-19 season.

“He’s pretty positive. You have to have a positive mindset to get through this,” Livingston said. “Otherwise, you just close opportunities for yourself. That’s the main thing — the mental approach to rehab.”

The Warriors’ newly acquired All-Star has rehabbed a torn left Achilles tendon for the past 9½ months. DeMarcus Cousins has stayed busy this week with five-on-five, full-contact drills with the Warriors’ G League team in Santa Cruz. Before, Cousins had weathered his own frustration in handling his own injury that sidelined him for the second half of the 2017-18 season with the New Orleans Pelicans. During that process, Cousins has admired how Jones has handled his own season-ending ailment.

“It sucks and it’s unfortunate it happened when it happened,” Cousins said. “But I think he’ll learn from this as well and get better as a player and as a person.”

Jones tore his left pectoral muscle toward the end of the third quarter of an eventual loss to Detroit on Dec. 1. Then, Jones had his left arm locked around Pistons center Andre Drummond after the two tangled for a rebound. That left the Warriors with a mixed assessment on how Jones fared in his third season. He started in 22 of 24 games at center and averaged 5.4 points on 71.6 percent shooting and 3.1 rebounds. During those stretches, though, Jones showed inconsistency with his strengths (lobs, post play, rim protecting) and weaknesses (2.6 fouls per game, tentativeness).

* * *

On the latest episode of the Warriors HQ podcast: Mike Brown talks Draymond-Durant, music, Bay Area living & more

* * *

Therefore, the Warriors have an inconclusive verdict on what Jones can offer on a guaranteed $2.3 million team option next season. But the Warriors expressed encouragement on how Jones has handled the initial frustration in losing half a season to further his development.

“Adversity is a challenge. It’s also a way of building yourself up,” Cousins said. “Going through this whole process, I don’t look at this as a negative thing anymore. It’s a building block for him. It sucks in the moment. But once you get past it, you learn a lot and you become a better person for it.”

It does not appear it has taken long for Jones to get past it.

He has worn a sling on his left arm in the past week, and has to wear it for the next five. It takes him longer for Jones to dress himself. And he cannot complete any significant rehab until late January.

* * *

Want real-time Warriors news texted to your phone and questions answered? Sign up for Mark Medina’s private text messaging service.

* * *

Yet, Jones still has remained docile as he had after both encouraging and poor performances.

During practices this week, Jones has stayed busy with the weight room strengthening his legs. After a recent morning shootaround, Jones grabbed rebounds with his right hand during Jonas Jerebko’s shooting routine. And he has played video games using one hand on the controller.

“I try to look at the positives. Being depressed about it is not going to get me anywhere,” Jones said. “It happened so you just got to think about the recovery.”

As Jones navigates that recovery, he has admired from afar how his veteran teammates handled their own debilitating injuries. Both Livingston and Cousins sound willing to help.

“He understands what he’s got ahead of him. That’s what a team is for,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “You encourage each other and share any thoughts that might help. Our team does a good job of communicating.”

Jones and Livingston concede they have not had direct conversations about each other’s injuries. Livingston remains open toward talking about his journey, but he admitted he does not want to appear preachy. That’s OK. Jones said he read up on Livingston’s recovery.

On Feb. 26, 2007 with the Los Angeles Clippers, Livingston’s left foot bent at nearly a 90-degree angle following a fast-break layup attempt. That resulted in a broken left leg, dislocated left knee cap as well as tears in his anterior cruciate ligament, posterior cruciate ligament and lateral meniscus.

Suddenly, Livingston’s NBA future appeared gone after the Clippers drafted the high school phenom with the No. 4 pick in the 2004 NBA draft. In his first three seasons, Livingston missed 101 of 246 regular-season games. Once he received clearance to play in the 2008 offseason, Livingston played for nine NBA teams and one D League team before joining the Warriors in 2014-15 season. He has stayed on as a dependable veteran through the Warriors’ three NBA championship runs in four seasons. Since the Warriors drafted Jones with the No. 30 pick in the 2015 NBA draft, he has studied how Livingston remains disciplined with his regimen with his on-court workout and treatment.

“Shaun changed his whole game up,” Jones said. “He still is pretty athletic. He has done things. He’s good in the post. But he’s coming back with that mindset mentality to come back off that injury. It’s all a mindset.”

Jones also admired Cousins’ mindset with his own injury. When Jones reported to the Warriors’ practice facility in early September, he immediately saw Cousins training in the weight room. For the past month, Cousins advanced to full-court, non-contact workouts to improve his conditioning. During that time, Cousins has stayed engaged with staying around the team, offering Jones feedback and providing insight on his post moves, mid-range jumper and passing.

“Watching him, he’s a great player. But now I see all the different things he talks about,” Jones said. “I just try to get myself in position on guys and stuff like that. Just learning those things from him was very helpful. Having him encourage me was cool.”

Livingston and Cousins plan to keep encouraging Jones through his recovery.

Livingston said that the team has an open invitation for Jones to attend trips when his rehab allows it. They also plan to include Jones in team-sanctioned events to compensate for the inevitable disconnect he will feel with missing games. And Livingston remains open about talking about his journey if Jones wants to hear about it.

“It’s just not being too hard on yourself during your bad days. Those are the days that you’re frustrated,” Livingston said. “It’s like missing a shot. You miss a shot and you go back to the other end. You might be thinking about that shot. Then it carries over to the next shot. But if you’re easy on yourself and let it go, that comes with experience and that comes with time. He has a bad day. Try to let that day go. There’s always tomorrow. So have a good day tomorrow.”

As Cousins wrestles with handling his own good days and bad days, he has not just sought motivation from proving he can blend in with four All-Star teammates. Or showing his game won’t significantly diminish from an injury that has altered the career of many others. Cousins also wants to teach the Warriors’ young centers how to tackle adversity. Though that can prove helpful to second-year forward Jordan Bell and fourth-year forward Kevon Looney, Jones arguably could benefit the most given his recent injury.

“I’m just doing my part. The young guys on the team are like sponges. They’re always looking for information and are always trying to learn,” Cousins said. “When you have players like that, you want to give as much advice as you can. They have taken on a big role and responsibility at a young age, so I’m trying to ease it up on them as much as I can.” Related Articles 3 Points: What the Warriors want in a center of the future, from one who knows Kerr’s system

Steve Kerr says Breonna Taylor ruling is ‘demoralizing’ as Warriors open minicamp

Warriors at No. 2: Breaking down how LaMelo Ball’s passing genius would fit Golden State

Here’s the Warriors’ minicamp roster and where each player stands

Giannis Antetokounmpo wins second MVP award; Is an NBA title with Warriors next?

Meanwhile, Jones plans to lean on his previous experienced when he injured his right pectoral muscle shortly before the 2015 NBA draft, an injury that contributed him to falling to No. 30. Then, Jones also remained patient with being immobilized while watching game footage. He plans to do the same thing with the Warriors’ coaches and staying active in the weight room.

At some point, though, Livingston predicted Jones will have days he will feel restless.

“You want it all right away,” Livingston said, while snapping his fingers. “But you have to give the body time to heal. In turn, you give yourself some positive reinforcements every day. It’s hard to do. Nobody is positive all the time. If they say they are, they’re lying.”

In Jones’ case, they are not. He remains grateful he still has a healthy right arm. After all, that’s all he needs to play the newly released Super Smash Brothers.

“It’s going to take longer to do some things. But it’s straight. Nothing too bad,” Jones said. “I’m just trying to remain calm and being composed. It’s like ‘What else is going to happen?’ You can go down on yourself. But I’m just trying to stay positive with things.”

* * *

WARRIORS HQ PODCAST: Be sure to visit our podcast page at mercurynews.com. You can also get notified of new episodes on iTunes, Google Play Music, Spotify, Stitcher and SoundCloud.

* * *

Follow Bay Area News Group Warriors beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Share this: Print

View more on The Mercury News