Golden State Warriors star shooting guard Klay Thompson is more than a year removed from his ACL injury, but head coach Steve Kerr is practicing patience in terms of guiding Thompson back to the court.
Via NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole:
“We’re taking it really slow with Klay,” Kerr said. “He’s basically taking part in all of practice other than the scrimmage. We did other drills that were live. We did some defensive drills, 5-on-5, more of a controlled scrimmage that he took part in. But at the end of practice scrimmage, we had him doing some 1-on-1 stuff with Leandro (Barbosa). That is the preferable sequence right now.”
Thompson suffered a torn ACL during the 2019 NBA Finals in Game 6 against the Toronto Raptors. After going up for a dunk, the Warriors star was fouled by Danny Green, causing him to land awkwardly. He was able to walk on his own will, even going as far as to make two free throws following the foul call. He was then escorted to the locker room where the devastating news was later revealed.
The Warriors weren't much of a threat during the 2019-20 season. Fellow co-star and 3-point shooting maestro Stephen Curry also missed action after suffering a broken hand in only the fifth game of the season. He did return at a later point in the season, but it was far too late to make a difference in the Warriors' record.
It was the first time they'd miss a championship appearance in five years after creating a new dynasty. The Warriors will look to return to championship contender status with the new season around the corner.
While Thompson has had his moments in practice so far, it's smart that Golden State is playing it safe with him.
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