After 941 days away from the NBA, Klay Thompson finally made his triumphant return to the Warriors on Jan. 9, when Golden State hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers at Chase Center.
It was a night filled with emotions as the Warriors, and their fan base welcomed back one of the integral members of the dynasty's core. However, Draymond Green could not play due to calf tightness that was later diagnosed as part of a lower back issue. Green took the court with Thompson and the Warriors for the opening tip before taking a foul a few seconds in before exiting the game.
Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers went on 95.7 The Game's "The Morning Roast" on Tuesday and described the night Klay returned and explained how tough it was for Green to not be able to play that night.
“Yeah, that night. That night was emotional," Myers said. "I mean, the part I was most emotional about was when they showed that little montage before the game. I don’t know why that kind of got me, but with the sentimental music and his journey back. I don’t know. I teared up a little bit. You know Draymond was pretty emotional too because he had realized that night that he wasn’t going to play. So he was pretty shook up.
"So I was telling my 9-year-old. She said, ‘what happened in the game?’ I said, ‘Draymond was pretty sad, and he had some tears and was frustrated he couldn’t play.’ And she said, ‘what did he look like dad?’ And I said, ‘He kind of looked like he was crying.’ And she said, ‘what does it look like when a guy cries?’ And I thought to myself, 'that’s pathetic. And she said, 'I’ve never seen you cry.’ And I thought, 'that’s pretty pathetic that my daughter’s nine, and I haven’t shed tears.' So she was at the game with me, and it’s hard with the masks. But I was emotional. I wasn’t streaming down, but some of those ones that were about to come out was the best I could do. It’s just so much that goes into the rehab, and for everybody… for our fans. For him. For our organization."
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Thompson now has played in four games since his return and clearly still is working his way back. In four games, the five-time All-Star is averaging just 13.8 points per game while shooting 35.7 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Myers knows it will take Thompson time to knock off the rust and get back to 100 percent. That fact that the Warriors don't have their full team available due to injuries also has played a role in how he has evaluated Thompson's first games back.
"But we got to see him back with the whole group," Myers said. "I don't want to diminish him being back, but I feel like he's not back, back yet. You know, the minutes limitations, Draymond's not out there. So, I'm looking for a lot more to come from his journey back. I think we're just starting it."
Thompson never envisioned his return to the Warriors happening with Green on the sideline, but he is anticipating the day that he, Green and Steph Curry are on the court together again.
“It’s unfortunate, but we’ve all been through injuries and there’s no point rushing back in mid-January,” Thompson said after Sunday night’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. “We’re playing for something much bigger than that. And when Dray does step back on the floor, I’m going to be very grateful for playing with him again.
“I can’t wait to step on the floor with both of those guys [Green and Curry], firing on all cylinders. They’ll make my job easier and I’m sure I’ll make their jobs a little easier. I miss playing with them. I think there will be a sense of normalcy when we’re back out there again.”