Klay has taken ‘huge' step in Achilles rehab, Kerr says

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When Klay Thompson isn't going on Instagram Live from his boat, the Warriors star is working hard rehabbing from the torn right Achilles that cost him all of last season.

While Thompson isn't yet ready for full basketball activities, coach Steve Kerr gave an update on the star guard to The Athletic's Anthony Slater, nothing Thompson has reached an important point in his rehab.

"Not full contact yet. But starting to really get movement on the court," Kerr told Slater. "He’s still aways away from actually playing basketball in a 5-on-5 setting. But there’s a big step with the Achilles when you can actually start running again. It’s a huge psychological boost. The rest of the body gets going, you start feeling the soreness and aches and pains that actually feel good when you’ve been out for a while. He’s at that point."

Thompson hasn't been on an NBA court since he tore his ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. After watching the Warriors miss the playoffs in back-to-back seasons while on the bench, Thompson understandably is champing at the bit to get back and help Golden State re-enter the title picture.

"That's the plan, 2022 NBA champs. Man, I miss hooping, I meant that when I said there's nothing like the Finals. You got media from all over the world, it's the center of the basketball universe," Thompson said on Instagram Live in June.

RELATED: NBA mock draft 9.0: Who will Warriors take at No. 7 and No. 14?

The Warriors are in the middle of a crucial offseason. Golden State owns two lottery picks -- Nos. 7 and 14 -- and is planning to get Thompson back at some point next season. President of basketball operations Bob Myers is tasked with finding a way to surround Thompson, Steph Curry and Draymond Green with the requisite pieces to once again contend for an NBA title.

Whether that plan involves using both lottery picks, or trading one or both remains to be seen. The Warriors have a multitude of options in front of them, and it's imperative that they pull all the right strings this offseason and that Thompson completes his grueling rehab and returns to the court to help them compete in the loaded Western Conference.

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