Klay Thompson will not suit up for the Warriors until next year following the confirmation from GSW big boss Bob Myers that the injured will not return until February 2020. The earliest return target for Thompson is after the All-Star break, but Myers has advised fans of the Dub Nation not to get their hopes too high.
The team GM made clear that Thompson returning to action will all depend on how quick the All-Star's torn ACL will heal, and most importantly the progress of his rehabilitation.
"We'll have another update on him probably around the All-Star break. Don't construe that as if we think he'll be back by the All-Star break - that just means we'll have an update then," Sporting News reported Myers as saying.
For his part, Thompson said he'll abide by the team's decision and indicated waiting for him to heal completely is the right thing to do. Thompson said: "As much as it kills me not to be on the court, patience is a virtue, and rushing back would be not very smart."
"I've done my due diligence on rehabs and ACL injuries, and the last thing you want to do is rush back, especially for a player like me who wants to play until he's in his late 30s. I want to play at a high level until that point, too," the GSW star added.
As the likelihood of Thompson missing most if not all of the Warriors' 82 regular games emerge, the GSW core players are only expected to step up. And Stephen Curry is game on the suggestion he will need to play with no break, saying he is "pretty excited," to do just that.
It is the same thing for Draymond Green, who with Thompson and Curry did most of the heavy lifting when the Warriors appeared in five consecutive NBA Finals and won three of the lot. Green said he is ready for the upcoming battle and willing to play a mentor for the young Warriors, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
"I think we have to do a little bit more ... We have to do a good job getting to know these younger guys. It's kind of a new day and age in the NBA," Green said.
However, basketball analysts have expressed doubt that the Bay Area team will be the same with the loss of Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, and Thompson unlikely to return soon enough. It seemed improbable that GSW will make the cut and qualify for the playoffs with only a few of the characters headlining the team's upcoming campaign.
Citing the assessment offered by league watchers, CBS Sports said 2019-20 is likely a transition season for the Warrior but teams still view them as a contender. The West, however, is brimming with solid contenders and the present circumstances do not favor the Warriors.
If any of these NBA teams in the west will fall short, it's easy to say that it will not be any of the Clippers or Lakers. Likely the team with not so rosy prospect is the Warriors, the report suggested.
