The Golden State Warriors are inching closer to having star guard Klay Thompson back on the court after missing the last 2½ years due to serious injuries.
Over the past two months, Thompson progressively pushed his way through his recovery process as he’s ramped up his workload with on-court pre-game workouts and scrimmages with the Warriors’ G-League affiliate.
All that has positioned him to make his long-awaited return on Sunday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors have taken the precautionary approach with the situation, hoping to avoid setbacks, which he’s on the verge of playing again for the first time since the 2019 NBA Finals.
My brother returning to the court has me going down memory lane… let me hear your favorite @KlayThompson memories! #KlayDay pic.twitter.com/78GjKPpoDu
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) January 8, 2022
Golden State is off to an impressive start, holding one of the league’s best records with a 29-9 mark, sitting one game behind the Phoenix Suns for the top spot in the Western Conference playoff picture.
The Warriors have managed to show some promising potential without Thompson, which begs the question of what kind of impact his return will have. He’s coming off two significant injuries, which one alone is difficult for any player to recover from fully.
If Thompson can return to playing like any essence of the player he was before his injuries, the Warriors will be circled as the clear-cut NBA title favorites. He’s an elite two-way talent that can carry the offense when needed and can guard the opposing team’s best backcourt talent.
He’s proven to be a game-changing factor that was a huge part of the Warriors’ sustained success that saw them win three NBA titles in five straight Finals trips. His play will be pivotal in getting Golden State back toward championship contention.
Head coach Steve Kerr has already voiced that the plan is to reinsert the 31-year-old into the starting lineup.
“Klay (Thompson) will start when he comes back,” Kerr said via Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “I’m not gonna mess around, bring him off the bench or any of that. We will see what that means in terms of the rest of the rotation.
“I know one thing, we got a whole lot of guys who are capable of playing and being in the rotation and helping us win games. It’s not going to be easy, but on the other hand, it’s way better than the alternative. I got a lot of options, but there is not a lot of playing time to go around. It’s going to be tricky, but it’s a good problem to have.”
Steve Kerr compares Klay Thompson's return to Stephen Curry in New York and Michael Jordan's return back to the NBA:
"With Klay, the moment will be about a guy's perseverance, and his love for the game, and everyone else's love for him. That's why it's going to be special." pic.twitter.com/CtohKDtmhy
— Mark Haynes (@markhaynesnba) January 8, 2022
Thompson’s return is going to create some significant change to the rotation, with third-year guard Jordan Poole being the most impacted. Over the last two seasons, Poole has been the primary beneficiary of the massive void as he’s been the starting guard next to Stephen Curry.
The Michigan product has shown some promising growth in his game, as he’s become a highly reliable scorer and offensive weapon. He’s displayed the ability to make an impact from beyond the arc (33.7%) while being an effective option off-the-ball.
Poole is amid a career-best campaign, averaging 17.5 points while shooting 44.5% from the floor. He has registered 20-or-more points 11 times, which is already a career-best mark. It includes him notching 26 games with double-digit points and four games with at least 30 points.
However, his role will change dramatically off the bench as the team’s Sixth Man, which he put forth some encouraging play in that role in Monday’s win over the Miami Heat. With Curry still in his shooting slump, Poole picked up the slack as a reserve, scoring a team-high 32 points on an efficient 12-of-17 shooting, including 5-of-9 shooting from 3-point range.
The 22-year-old will have those opportunities to play a massive scoring role off the bench as the lead guard. His versatility as a scorer will allow him to put forth more strong outings. Although Thompson will garner the starting role, it shouldn’t take too much of the offensive shine from Poole.
#Warriors Dagger Lineup?
Stephen Curry
Klay Thompson
Andrew Wiggins
Jordan Poole
Andre Iguodala— Mario Sevilla (@mariosevilla) January 8, 2022
It also won’t be an immediate transition to seeing Thompson take a big minute workload as he will progressively see his minutes rise. The Warriors will have a minutes restriction as he gets his legs under him after missing more than two years.
That alone will keep Poole playing in a bigger capacity as Thompson works to get himself into basketball shape and rhythm to be a major factor, especially when it comes to the playoffs. If anything, the Warriors will be counting on the third-year guard to shoulder the offensive load to lessen the pressure on the five-time All-Star.
Andrew Wiggins will also continue to play a significant offensive role as he has the last two seasons. Wiggins has quietly put together a highly productive and efficient campaign, averaging 19.1 points on 48.9% shooting from the floor and 42.5% from 3-point range.
He’s become a key piece to the puzzle as his play has led Curry to voice that he believes the 26-year-old deserve to play in the 2022 All-Star game in Cleveland.
“Wiggs has been so consistent all year with the way he’s playing on both ends of the floor,” Steph said via NBC Sports. “Don’t want to get too ahead of myself but No. 22 should be in Cleveland this year the way he’s hooping.”
Wiggins’ scoring role will be impacted with Thompson’s return, but he still is counted upon as the team’s third offensive weapon. It’s not a role that he hasn’t been played in before as he experienced that with the Minnesota Timberwolves alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, and Jimmy Butler.
The Warriors starting lineup the last game Klay Thompson played in the 2019 Finals:
Steph Curry
Klay Thompson
Andre Iguodala
Draymond Green
Kevon LooneyExpected starting lineup in his return tomorrow:
Steph Curry
Klay Thompson
Andrew Wiggins
Draymond Green
Kevon Looney— Grant Liffmann (@GrantLiffmann) January 9, 2022
That experience alone should give him a basis for how to find his rhythm and flow as the third scoring option. His scoring output will drop, but it’s a matter of him finding his spots where he can add to the Warriors’ offense.
Beyond all that, the question remains whether Thompson can return to the player he once was before his torn ACL and torn Achilles tendon. He is attempting to overcome two career-altering injuries that could prevent him from returning to playing like the player he once was.
Thompson has been patient with the process by not overstepping the recovery process at any point. He’s making all the right steps forward to give him the best chance to prove he can return to elite form.
There is plenty of uncertainty of whether he can reach that, but none of that talk is coming from the star guard.
“It’s so exciting just to be running on the court and playing basketball,” Thompson said via KNBR in late November. “It’s truly a blessing. Makes coming to work so easy. The boring stuff’s behind me. I’m just getting back in game shape. It’s really exciting. I’ve got to stay patient because I can be an overeager person. But I’m just incredibly grateful to be out there.”
Thompson is giving himself the best chance to recapture his previous form by allowing the recovery process to fully run its course. It’s been over a year since he tore his Achilles tendon in November 2020.
Although it’s not the same situation nor the same parameters, Kevin Durant sat out the entire 2019-20 campaign due to that injury. He did experience some nagging issues in his first campaign back, but he’s worked his way back to playing as one of the game’s best players. He’s putting forth an MVP-caliber campaign while pushing the Brooklyn Nets to one of the NBA’s best records.
When healthy, he’s one of the game’s best two-way players along with being among the best shooters the game has ever had.
It’s a massive uphill battle that lies ahead for Thompson as he gets reacclimated, but he has plenty of time to find that rhythm and basketball shape before the playoffs. There remains more than half of the regular season ahead for him to find that.
In the meantime, the Warriors must exercise plenty of patience as Thompson works through it all. The payoff will certainly be well worth the wait as the Warriors have serious aspirations of vying for the 2022 NBA title.
