Gerald Green Eyes Return in 2019-20 After Foot Surgery

Green hopes to return "toward the playoffs" after undergoing surgery for a broken foot in October

Rockets guard Gerald Green discussed his wish to return to the floor in 2019-20 on Friday, stating he could return "toward [the] playoffs."

Green suffered a fracture in his left foot in the preseason before undergoing surgery on Oct. 28. He initially hoped to be sidelined for only a few months, but the timetable of his recovery was extended after surgery 

“I’m not trying to speed myself up, but hoping I’ll be ready to go by the end of this year, maybe towards playoffs,” Green told the media at the Toyota Center in Houston. “I don’t want to put myself ahead of schedule. Don’t want to get anybody’s hopes up or anything like that."

Green has not been cleared to run, according to the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen. Green is still wearing a walking boot.

The 12-year veteran has been a key member of Houston's bench rotation in each of the last two seasons. He averaged 12.1 points per game in 2017-18 and 9.2 points per game last season, tallying 266 made threes since joining the Rockets in 2017. 

Houston was short-handed for much of 2019-20 as Green and fellow guard Eric Gordon missed time due to injury. But the Rockets' rotation has stabilized of late. Gordon returned from right knee surgery on Dec. 29, while former Kings guard Ben McLemore has filled in nicely for Green off the bench. Houston currently sports the NBA's No. 2 offense at 114.1 points per 100 possessions. 

The Rockets enter Sunday third in the Western Conference at 24–11. They have won seven of their last ten ahead of Wednesday's matchup against the Hawks.

Tip-off from State Farm Arena in Atlanta is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT.