Watch: Klay Thompson joins Steph Curry during Golden State's shootaround as Splash Brothers inch closer to a comeback
In a video released by Bleacher Report, Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson was found warming up with fellow teammate Steph Curry ahead of the game against the Denver Nuggets.
Splash bro's coming soon 👀
(via @warriors)
https://t.co/PmBuGpJ03z
Much to the excitement of Warriors fans, several videos of Klay in practice have emerged online. However, the 31-year old's back-to-back long-term injuries will see him sidelined from the game for a little while longer as he recovers.
There was growing speculation regarding Thompson's return in time for the Golden State Warriors' Christmas Day matchup against the Phoenix Suns.
However, a timeline for a return could see him make his return to the side against the Miami Heat on January 3rd, although this is unlikely.
Steve Kerr's plans for Klay Thompson as he returns to the Golden State Warriors
Prior to the game against Denver, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was asked how he'd integrate Thompson back into the system.
To allow a player to find their rhythm in game-time situations, coaches often bring rehabilitating players off the bench and limit their minutes to let them get accustomed to the pace of the game.
Steve Kerr: “Klay (Thompson) will start when he comes back. I’m not gonna mess around, bring him off the bench or any of that.” https://t.co/yHX1cYttcN
Steve Kerr's plans with Klay Thompson were pretty straightforward as he assured the guard of a spot in the starting rotation. He said:
"Klay is gonna start when he comes back. I'm not gonna mess around, bring him off the bench for a period of time. I'm not doing any of that. He's going to start."
Kerr went on to mention the problems that come with Klay's return. Considering the limited minutes available, Coach Kerr's job to adjust player rotations is not easy. He continued:
"We'll see what that (Klay's return) means in terms of the rest of our rotations. I know one thing - we've got a whole lot of guys capable of playing and being in the rotation and helping us win games."
However, Kerr mentioned the situation is a much better alternative to having a shorthanded roster where coaches are forced to overwork their players and scrape by with wins. He said:
'I've got a lot of options but not enough playing time going around. It'll be tricky but it's a good problem to have."
What does Thompson's return mean for the Warriors?
Klay Thompson's return has been a long time coming. After suffering a knee injury in the 2019 Finals, Klay suffered another season-ending achilles injury ahead of the 2020-21 season which delayed his return.
Making his return to the floor after almost two years, Thompson will be a key addition to the Golden State Warriors' championship aspirations. With the best record in the league at 27-7 currently, the addition of Klay Thompson is a significant boost on both ends of the floor.
Thompson's ability to compliment Steph Curry makes the Warriors' offense dynamite. But at this point, fans will just look forward to Klay Thompson returning to the court healthy.