Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson will not be back by Christmas, according to Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

There had previously been rumblings that Thompson could return the week of Christmas, but the Warriors don't have plans for Thompson to debut at home on either Dec. 20 or Dec. 23. There will be no Christmas Day return on the road against the Phoenix Suns, so the earliest the sharpshooter will be back is Dec. 28 at home against the Denver Nuggets.

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Thompson is currently ramping up his conditioning as he prepares for his return to the lineup. The Warrior star hasn't played since the 2019 NBA Finals. He tore his ACL in that series and then tore his Achilles before last season began.

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It has been a long road back for Thompson, so waiting a little longer is obviously not a big deal. Still, it would have been fun to see the Warriors star out there for a high-profile game on Christmas between two of the best teams in the NBA.

Golden State is 23-5 to start this season, which is just a half-game better than Phoenix. The Warriors have designs on winning another NBA title this season, and the hope is Thompson will help that cause in a big way. The expectations should be tempered a bit because of the injuries and the long layoff, but it shouldn't take too long for that 3-point shot to come around.

Stay tuned for more updates on Klay Thompson.