The Golden State Warriors have provided another update on the playing status of star sharpshooter Klay Thompson. Well, sort of.

Less than 24 hours after it was reported the three-time champion won't make his long-awaited return to the floor on Christmas, the Warriors announced that Thompson completed a “successful rehab assignment” with the Santa Cruz Warriors and that details of his return are still being finalized by the team.

Before this week, there were widespread hopes that Thompson would be back on the court for the first time since the 2019 NBA Finals in either of Golden State's games leading up to their December 25th matchup with Phoenix Suns, the defending Western Conference champions. There was never concrete reporting that Thompson's return would come against the Sacramento Kings on December 20th or Memphis Grizzlies on December 23rd, though, and Golden State has long made it clear his debut wouldn't come against Phoenix.

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The expectation now is that Thompson, who's been engaging in 5-on-5 work with the Warriors since mid-November, will return soon after Christmas.

A five-time All-Star and crucial two-way cog for Golden State's championship teams in 2015, 2017 and 2018, Thompson tore his ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. He was on track to play in 2020-21 only to suffer a torn Achilles tendon while preparing for his return, leaving him sidelined for the entirety of the last two seasons.

The Warriors, 23-5, are tied with the Suns for the best record in basketball.