The end is near. Well, hopefully, the end is near for Golden State Warriors fans that have craved the return of five-time All-Star Klay Thompson. Over the past decade, Thompson has become one of the most decorated Warriors, amassing three titles with the team.
Thompson and 2020 No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman have yet to play this season. While Wiseman hasn’t proven his value yet, he did reportedly bulk up this offseason and should be expected to improve upon his play as a rookie.
The Warriors are bracing for a return of two potential starters as James Wiseman and Klay Thompson have both been recalled from G-League affiliate.
Per the Golden State Warriors PR, Thompson and Wiseman have been recalled from the team’s G-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors. At least for Thompson, his projected return will be Christmas Day against the Phoenix Suns.
Wiseman’s return date seems to be a bit further out and not quite scheduled. While setbacks could happen, the Warriors are expecting Thompson back prior to the end of the year. As they currently have the best record in the NBA, there isn’t much rush to get these two back.
Thompson is more critical to the current mission for the team. On top of that, he’s coming off two season-ending injuries, so there’s a ton to be worried about, especially as the re-injury concern should be real.
Thompson, in the 2019 NBA Finals, had his first injury, a torn ACL. He then tore his Achilles while rehabbing to get back on the court prior to the 2020-2021 season. That’s how we got to where we are, and the Warriors this season have far exceeded expectations.
That’s a huge bonus as the Dubs can now play Thompson and Wiseman limited minutes instead of trying to squeeze a couple more wins out of the season to potentially get in the play-in tournament.
The Dubs rotation with Wiseman and Thompson back in action is relatively unknown. Thompson will be a starter when at full strength, but given the level Kevon Looney is playing at, the jury is still out on if Wiseman will get his starting gig back.
With that in mind, the return is nearing as they’ll be back with the team and looking to make a return in the near future.