Ever since Klay Thompson returned in early January, he had his ups and downs as he works his way back to his 100 percent self. More recently, however, his poor play for the Golden State Warriors has been a major talking point. After all, Steve Kerr and his Dubs have also lost a bunch of games during that stretch–including a five-game skid this March.

Thompson has been struggling ever since the All-Star break. Prior to the short hiatus, he averaged 17.1 points on 41.8 percent shooting from the field. However, in the five games he has played after returning from the short break, he's only putting 15.8 points on 36.9 percent shooting. Even worse, his 3-point percentage dropped from 37.4 percent to 29.7 percent–which is not good for a player who is known to take a lot of those long-distance bombs.

According to Kerr, however, the problem for Thompson is his desire to get back to his old, dominant self quickly. After all, anyone who has been out for two and half years would probably have the same feeling as the Warriors sharpshooter. All players want to contribute and make an impact, and Thompson is no exemption.

However, Kerr wants the other half of the Splash Bros. to be patient and take his time and be patient.

“I just think it’s time,” Kerr said in a recent appearance on 95.7 The Game’s “Damon and Ratto,” per NBC Sports. “And as he gets more comfortable, he will be reminded that even when he was on top of his game a few years ago, that there were still plenty of bad nights. I remember that one season when he was like 3-for-34 to start the year, he was a mess.

“Struggles are all part of the game. Steph had his a few weeks ago, [Wiggins] is going through his right now. Klay’s going through one. But I think when you’re out for two and a half years, to remember that there were moments like that a few years ago too. And that’s all part of being an athlete at this level, there’s a lot of ups and downs and you have to navigate them. If you get too stressed out about something, it’s really hard to get through the long season.”

Klay Thompson is expected to have a big role in the Warriors' bid to return to title contention, but as Steve Kerr highlighted, he can't force things. He must let his game come back naturally and not get frustrated with the waiting game–no matter how long it may seem.

The Warriors are also in good position to make the playoffs, so there is room for Thompson to experiment and make mistakes. Not all players have that benefit, so he should definitely take advantage of it. Golden State needs the old Klay back if they want to take down the likes of the Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, but he certainly has time.

Golden State is third in the West with a 45-22 record heading into Saturday's contest with the Milwaukee Bucks. They have a tough road ahead with matches against the Boston Celtics, Heat, Grizzlies and Utah Jazz in their next 10 games after that, but it should be a good test for the team as they try to get their rhythm back while preparing for the postseason.