J-Speaks: Warriors Lose All-Star Guard Again To Season-Ending Injury

After a rough fall back to reality this past season, the three-time NBA champion Golden State Warriors were really looking forward to entering the 2020-21 NBA season at full strength with their perennial All-Star backcourt; there swiss army knife All-Star forward and their newest addition via this past Wednesday’s NBA Draft. Unfortunately, a key member of their dynamic trio will be on the shelf for a second consecutive season because of injury.

On Wednesday, Warriors sharp-shooting guard Klay Thompson injured his right leg during a workout in Southern California.

The Athletic and Stadium’s Sham Charania reported that same day that the five-time All-Star, who missed all of the 2019-20 season because of torn ACL in his left knee sustained in the fourth quarter of the title clinching Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals versus the Toronto Raptors was “unable to put any weight on his lower leg injury,” when he left the gym.

“We don’t know the extent of it,” a visibly upset Warriors General Manager Bob Myers said in his appearance on NBC Sports Bay Area following the 2020 NBA Draft on Wednesday night. “It’s hard to say. I’m hoping for the best…I can confirm the injury is to his right leg.”

Myers added, “I guess this business teaches you to wait to hear for sure on any of these things. Obviously dealing with some of the injuries we’ve dealt with in the last couple of years, it doesn’t harden you, it doesn’t make it easier but I was hoping we were through all that and maybe we are. Maybe there’s good news coming. But certainly not a normal draft, not a normal day.”

On Thursday, the Warriors greatest fears were confirmed as Thompson suffered a tear to his right Achilles, which was confirmed by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, ending his 2020-21 season.

“Klay Thompson suffered a torn right Achilles tendon, an MRI confirmed today in Los Angeles. Thompson suffered the injury in a workout yesterday in Southern California. He is expected to miss the 2020-21 season,” the team said from their Twitter account @Warriors early Thursday afternoon.

Wojnarowski did say that Thompson is expected to make a full recovery.

One person who knows this injury all too well is Hall of Famer and two-time NBA champion with the Detroit Pistons Isiah Thomas, whose career ended because of an Achilles tear in the 1993-94 season.

Thomas said on NBATV’s “NBA Draft 2020: Next Steps” towards the end of last week that the recovery time from an injury like this takes a “mental” and “physical” toll on a person.

“The basketball world, the basketball fans were all sending him prayers because he is one of the most likable guys in the sport,” Thomas said. “And I haven’t met anyone who says they don’t like Klay Thompson. I mean, he’s just a beautiful person. Has been a great athlete, a joy to work with, be around, and you really feel bad for him because as a competitor we saw him in The Finals tear up his knee and now the Achilles.”  

As word spread quickly about Thompson’s injury when it was first reported on Wednesday spread on the league’s unofficial start to the upcoming season, some of the league’s best expressed their concerns and well wishes on their Twitter accounts.

Teammate Draymond Green said @Money23Green, “Prayers up for my brother @KlayThompson.”

Reigning Finals MVP of the now defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James said @KingJames, “Praying a lot @KlayThompson is cool!! Like it’s super minor.”

Los Angeles Clippers All-Star swingman Paul George said @Yg_Trece, “Praying for you bro.”

Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum @CJMcCollum said, “Dame hope you good bruh @KlayThompson.”

To put into context what the Warriors will not have on the court when they begin play this upcoming season, Thompson has made the most three-pointers since being drafted No. 11 overall nine years ago, right behind his teammate in two-time Kia MVP and fellow three-time NBA champion Stephen Curry, who missed a majority of last season recovering from a broken left hand sustained in the Warriors’ 121-110 loss versus the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 30, 2019 and 2018 Kia MVP James Harden of the Houston Rockets. “The Splash Brothers,” in Thompson and Curry have made a combined 3,976 career three-pointers, the most all-time by a duo.

Thompson has registered the most three-pointers in a regular season game (14) and in a postseason game (11) in NBA history. Thompson also holds the record for most points scored in a quarter, registering 37 points on 13 for 13 from the field, including an NBA-record for a single period going 9 for 9 from three-point range in the third quarter, scoring a career-high 52 points, hitting 11 threes in a 126-101 win versus the Sacramento Kings. His perfect 13 for 13 from the field that evening also tied Hall of Famer David Thompson’s (no relation) record for most made shots in a period without a miss.

What the loss of Klay Thompson did more than anything is make Curry’s job to really score a lot more difficult because team’s will make it their mission to take the ball out of his hands the whole game.

He will get the kind of defensive treatment that reigning NBA Kia Coach of the Year Nick Nurse implored against Curry when they threw double teams at him, implored a Box-and-1 or a 2-3 or 3-2 zone on him.

With pressure comes opportunity, which is something the Warriors support players will have as well as the front office to find the right fit to maybe not replace the production of Thompson that will not be there this season but to at least give themselves a chance to compete in the rugged Western Conference.

This will provide for head coach Steve Kerr to make No. 2 overall pick in center James Wiseman out of the University of Memphis possibly more of an integral part of the offense.

Before the Thompson injury, it looked like Wiseman’s role on offense was to set screens, become an available finisher at the basket off the double teams Thompson and Curry were going to draw, and to make his presence felt on the offensive glass. Defensively be a deterrent at the basket and gobble up every rebound possible, especially against teams that will have size in their front court like the Lakers for instance.

While Wiseman’s role may not change without Thompson, his role will be even more under the microscope to produce in those areas.  

The fact that he was coached and mentored by NBA legend Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway and former NBA sharp-shooter Mike Miller, and he will be mentored for sure by Green, who too is coming off an injury riddled 2018-19 season, Wiseman who continue to get the education on the hardwood that will be a big help in his maturation and hopefully be the bridge to where he becomes the lead man of the Warriors in the future.

Scott said if Wiseman is smart, he will be around Curry and Green from sunup to sundown from “breakfast,” “lunch,” “brunch,” and “dinner” to learn how to be the best pro you can be both on and off the floor.

He added when it comes to being one of the best defenders at the basket and in space, Wiseman can learn every trick from Green how to be the best in those areas at a young age in “The Association.”

“He walks into tradition. He walks into a work ethic,” Thomas said about the team Wiseman got drafted to. “When you looking at Curry, you’re looking at Draymond, he’s got people around him now that’s not only be able to story tell about how when they were rookies and how they worked their way up but he’s going to see in front of his eyes the work ethic that they have.”  

Another Warrior that will be under the microscope with Thompson on the mend this season will be 2015 Kia Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins, who was acquired at the Feb. 6 trade deadline from the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Last season, Wiggins was basically getting his feet wet in terms of being part of an organization that had the kind of structure, focus and no-nonsense accountability that the talented but inconsistent former No. 1 overall pick in 2014 did not have in his first five seasons in Minneapolis, MN.

For the first time in his career, Wiggins will be part of a team that has real solid leadership in Curry, Thompson and Green on the court and on the bench in Coach Kerr and assistant coaches in Mike Brown, Ron Adams, Jarron Collins, and Bruce Fraser.

This should be the year Wiggins really shines with all that he will have around him.

It is also an opportunity for guys who really got serious playing time with the injuries this past season for Marquese Chriss, Damion Lee, NBA All-Rookie First Team selection Eric Paschall, and Jordan Poole to make major impacts off the bench like current member of the Miami Heat in 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston had off the bench during the Warriors run of representing the West in five consecutive NBA Finals winning three titles.

The Warriors also have some salary cap space to work with in a $17 million cap exemption that they could use to go out and get an impact player in restricted free agent Bogdan Bogdanovic, who last week turned down a trade to join the Milwaukee Bucks.

While he may not be the kind of two-way player Thompson is, he does bring a floor spacing sharp-shooting presence that if the Warriors could pull that deal off, it would at least fill a gaping hole in their roster.

The Warriors are also working on acquiring small forward Kelly Oubre, Jr. from the Suns, with the deal nearly close to happening, according to ESPN.

While Oubre, Jr. may not provide the floor spacing sharp-shooting Thompson does, he would bring an intensity to the defensive end and provide another offense threat.

“I believe in Bob Myers and I believe in the ownership. They’re going to do the right thing and make the right decisions, and keep pushing along,” NBATV’s Dennis Scott said. “But let’s face it, there’s now way you’re going to find another two-way player, arguably the best two-guard in our game.”

According to Caesar Sports Booking by William Hill, the Golden State Warriors were 5-1 odds of winning the Western Conference for the sixth time in the last seven seasons, and 8-1 odds to win their fourth title in the last seven seasons before the Thompson season-ending Achilles tear. The odds are now 10-1 the Warriors come out of the Western Conference and 20-1 to win the title without Thompson this season.

While Thompson’s season-ending injury has made the outlook a lot cloudier for the Warriors, they still feel they can make the playoffs and really make some noise.

That means though James Wiseman has to play to the level he is in the conversation for Kia Rookie of the Year. Andrew Wiggins has to play at a consistent level on both ends of the floor with a minimum of mental lapses. There has to be major growth from Damion Lee, Eric Paschall, Marquese Chriss, and Jordan Poole.

The championship DNA of the Warriors during their five-year run is still there amongst their stars in Stephen Curry and Draymond Green and on their sidelines in head coach Steve Kerr.

If they plan on being in position to get back to the NBA’s mountain top, the front office led by GM Bob Myers has to come up with a major gem to join this proud collection of jewels on the roster.

Still though, the loss of Klay Thompson for this season is a blow to the Warriors title chances and a loss of one of the best players in the NBA.

While the good news is that the medicine and treatment is so advanced that players came come back from an injury like this.

The one question is will Thompson come back and be the dynamic sharp shooting, move around the floor, lock you down defender he was before?

“You got high-maintenance. You got low-maintenance guys. Klay Thompson is a no-maintenance guy. You never worry about him working hard. You never worry about him being in shape. You never worry about him being in the right situations on the floor,” Scott said. “So, I look for him to work hard. Do all the right things for him to get back on the floor next year.”

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 11/18/2020 www.nba.com story, “Warriors Thompson Injures Right Leg During Workout;” 11/19/2020 www.nba.com story, “Klay Thompson Out for Season With Torn Achilles;” 11/19/2020 3 p.m. “NBA: The Jump,” presented by Dell XPS with Rachel Nichols, David Fizdale, and Kendrick Perkins; 11/19/2020 ESPN news crawl; 11/202020 10 p.m. NBATV’s “NBA Draft 2020: Next Steps,” with Kristen Ledlow, Dennis Scott, and Isiah Thomas;  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klay_Thompson;  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klay_Thompson#2014-15_season:_First_All-Star_selection_and_NBA_Championship;  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Wiggins;  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_State_Warriors#2019-present_Struggles_With_Injuries_and_Rebuilding; and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020-21_Golden_State_Warriors_season#Roster.