Klay Thompson had his surgery in Los Angeles on Wednesday to repair a torn Achilles and doctors reported that the procedure was a success. The Golden State Warriors shooting guard, who was injured while working out, is expected to make a full recovery.
That was the good news but the bad news is Thompson will be sidelined for another full season. The other half of the Splash Brothers skipped the whole of the 2019-20 campaign after tearing his ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals.
ESPN said the latest injury dashed the hope of the Dubs to welcome Thompson back to the roster after a forgettable last season. In addition to Thompson, the Warriors also lost Stephen Curry to the sickbay while Draymond Green carried the team but not in his 100%.
As a result, the season ended early for the Bay Area team and the Warriors exited with only 15 wins. The dismal performance came following the team's dominance in the past seasons. Before failing to enter the playoffs last season, GSW appeared in the NBA Finals for five straight seasons and won three titles.
The Warriors are raring to go on a title run next season and were expecting Thompson's big comeback, who will be joined by the healthier Curry and Green. Even as the surgery was hailed as a success, it's good as certain that Thompson will not be back for next season.
If nothing significant will change in the months to come, the star is set to miss a total of 164 games and all stretching from 2019 until the middle of 2021. As Clutch Points noted, the new injury is quite a blow on Thompson, and "it's impossible to understand what the Warriors star is going through emotionally and mentally."
To cushion the impact of Thompson's extended absence, the Warriors front office signed Kelly Oubre Jr. from the Oklahoma City Thunder. He will be joining the core talents of Curry, Green, Andrew Wiggins, and No. 2 pick James Wiseman to keep the team afloat.
However, contending for the NBA title in 2021 will not be easy for Curry and company. To be sure, the Warriors will be missing big Thompson's contribution to the cause. He has been instrumental in the organization's successful run since joining up eight seasons ago.
In his healthiest state, the five-time All-Star averaged 19.5 points per game and proved lethal in the three-point area. Thompson's accuracy was at 41.9% and his sniping from afar won many games and three NBA titles for the Warriors.
The league regards Thompson as among the best shooters and defenders in the game, and replacing him will be a tall order for head coach Steve Kerr.
