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Golden State Warriors: Shutting down Klay Thompson was always the move

By Nathan Beighle

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors poses for a picture during the Golden State Warriors media day at Chase Center on September 30, 2019 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors poses for a picture during the Golden State Warriors media day at Chase Center on September 30, 2019 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors have shut down Klay Thompson and that was to be expected ever since the fourth game of the season.

The 12-win Golden State Warriors have shut down Klay Thompson. That is certainly not shocking to fans that have followed the team through this discouraging season. The Dubs are just 12-44 on the year.

They will be getting Stephen Curry back in the coming weeks, but he’ll likely be put on some type of restriction given his usage over the past half a decade. Curry and Draymond Green will lead the young Warriors along with the recently-added Andrew Wiggins.

As for Thompson, since Curry’s injury in the team’s fourth game of the season, he was always more likely to not see action than to see it. Curry’s injury derailed what was a possible gameplan to make it to the playoffs with Thompson either having returned or on his way back.

The initial gameplan was to have Curry lead the team until Thompson fully rehabbed his injury. Then, the Warriors could really see what they were dealing with as far as the potential of a Curry-D’Angelo Russell-Thompson lineup went.

Russell didn’t make it that long though, and even if he had, Thompson would’ve likely been shut down all along with the Warriors not a playoff-contending team.

If Curry had been able to play at least half the season, the Warriors could’ve kept Thompon on a trajectory to return in early April or even a bit later. The five-time All-Star could have returned, and it seemed like his preseason plan was to return.

Potentially carrying a higher likelihood of re-injuring his ACL after signing a max contract this past offseason, watching their superstar two-way player go down again during meaningless games was clearly not the move.

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At the end of the day, no one was shocked with the Warriors move to shut any chance of him playing this season down.

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