News of the latest injury suffered by Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson is bad for basketball as accurately put by TV reporter Ros Gold-Onwude.
There’s not enough words to describe the disappointment for so many, but still, staying hopeful for Klay’s recovery & the road ahead. https://t.co/ZyhNCmSeyP
— Ros Gold-Onwude (@ROSGO21) November 20, 2020
Thompson has suffered a torn right Achilles tendon as of last week and is expected to miss the upcoming 2020-21 season.
The Warriors were without their second Splash Brother this past season while he recovered from an ACL tear that occurred during the 2019 NBA Finals.
Klay Thompson absence, on the surface: Warriors go back-to-back seasons w/o a great player and ideal complement to Stephen Curry.
Below the surface: They lose a source of sunlight when things get dark. He's a uniquely beloved/respected spirit.
A deep, deep wound.— Monte Poole (@MontePooleNBCS) November 19, 2020
It’s beyond devastating for this to happen to someone like Klay Thompson right now.
Incorporating their no. 2 overall draft pick James Wiseman into the fold can become even more important. Wiseman is not a shooter or a guard. He’s a mobile, versatile lefty big who can contribute in different ways for Golden State inside.
Think back to the 2015 championship Warriors team — their “Strength in Numbers” mantra made them overwhelming because their depth was loaded with high-IQ veteran hoopers.
Their bigs were outstanding, starting with former no. 1 overall draft pick Andrew Bogut.
In order to be an effective big with the Warriors you need mobility, shooting, and/or playmaking ability and Wiseman should be able to provide all of those things as he comes into his own.
Now this team will stand on its two pillars on the floor. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green will have to anchor things offensively. Without the flamethrowing Thompson beside Curry, it makes for an interesting outlook for the Warriors. Many believed this season would be their inevitable return to the top of the NBA food chain.
We may not see a fully loaded and lethal product like in 2015. We certainly won’t see the big four dynamics of the Kevin Durant era in Golden State. Even with Thompson, this franchise was going to have to earn back their championship pedigree and expectations.
That challenge is more clear and present without the services of Klay Thompson.