Klay Thompson injury update: What's the latest word on the injured Golden State Warriors star?
There's plenty of buzz around the Golden State Warriors as they prepare for the start of the 2021-22 NBA season. Fans are thrilled to see what this team can do after showing some grit during the previous year. After adding a number of veterans to a roster full of young talent, the Warriors could have an intriguing mixture of players to make some noise in the Western Conference this year.
Although the buzz is building around the Golden State team that will be on the floor to start the regular season, there's one player that everyone will be monitoring throughout the season. It's been almost two years since we saw Klay Thompson on the NBA floor. After initially suffering a torn ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors, Thompson would go on to suffer another offseason injury, this time a torn right Achilles. It's been a tough road back for Klay Thompson, and there's no doubt that the Warriors are going to want to be as careful as possible with getting their fellow "Splash Brother" back on the court.
What's the Latest with Klay Thompson?
There's been a lot of misdirection when it comes to specific target dates for Klay Thompson to return. It seems as if each time the question is asked, a different type of answer comes to the surface. Back in August, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported that the Warriors were targeting a Christmas Day game against the Phoenix Suns as a possible return for Thompson. Warriors GM Bob Myers was recently asked about an update and stated that the team is hopeful that the five-time All-Star can return around January.
Bob Myers said Klay Thompson can do a lot in camp, "just not contact, no 5-on-5." Said there will be a point -- "maybe January" -- where Klay will know he's ready. But it'll be a patient ramp up and a whole lot of scrimmaging, even high-intensity G-League practices before.
The clear message that needs to be taken from all of this is patience. The Warriors understand how important Thompson's return is to this organization. After suffering serious lower-body injuries in consecutive years, Golden State realizes that they cannot afford to rush Thompson back, as another injury could put a serious wrinkle for the team's future. With players like Stephen Curry and Draymond Green leading the punch, the Warriors are going to continue to be dangerous opponents on a nightly basis.
This team realizes that if they can stress patience and get Klay Thompson back to his old self, they can compete with any team in the NBA. The pairing of Curry and Thompson gave the Warriors a massive advantage on a nightly basis, as they were the most dangerous backcourt in the entire NBA. With a team like Golden State, who can takeover a game with their outside shooting, Thompson would give them a serious increase in firepower once he returns.
For basketball fans all over the world, we will all continue to patiently wait to see Klay lighting it up from outside on the NBA floor again.
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