The Golden State Warriors look vastly different from years past this season, partly due to the departure of Kevin Durant and partly due to injury. Namely, the Warriors are without guard Klay Thompson to start the season as he recovers from a torn ACL he sustained in the NBA Finals.
While some speculate Thompson will be recovered from his ACL surgery sometime early in the next calendar year, head coach Steve Kerr wasn’t as optimistic about Thompson’s return. Kerr recently told NBC Sports Bay Area that the Warriors won’t rush Thompson back from his recovery process and that the five-time All-Star likely won’t play at all this upcoming season.
“It’s unlikely that he’s going to play this year,” Kerr told NBC. “You have to look at it realistically. I had an ACL [tear] in college, and I missed a whole season. Generally, an ACL for a basketball player is a full-year recovery, and if it’s a full year for Klay, that puts them out for the season.
“We’ve kind of left the door open in case the rehab goes perfectly and the doctors say he can go,” Kerr said. But the reality is, on April 1, that’s the nine-month mark. … April versus nine months post-op for an ACL.
“We have to prepare our young guys to fill that role behind him, and when he gets back, whenever that is, hopefully these young guys now are developed and in the rotation and ready to really be contributors on a playoff team and we can get better,” Kerr added.
Obviously with Kevin Durant out of the picture, not having Klay Thompson at your disposal is that much more tough to overcome. After featuring perhaps the most loaded roster in NBA history, the Warriors have thinned out quite a bit talent-wise.
Of course, they still feature former MVP Stephen Curry along with Draymond Green. The team was also able to acquire guard D’Angelo Russell instead of losing KD for nothing, but the depth and offensive firepower is still greatly lacking. With Thompson out for what seems to be all season, expect the likes of Alec Burks, Glen Robinson III and rookie Jordan Poole to get plenty of playing time all year.
