Klay Thompson’s leg injury is as significant as feared.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN broke the news, which was later confirmed by the Warriors.
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. pic.twitter.com/w733cWawK6
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 19, 2020
This is devastating for both the Warriors and Thompson, who just returned to the court after missing last season with a torn ACL.
Golden State had championship aspirations with Stephen Curry and Thompson returning from injury and Draymond Green becoming more engaged as the team returned to winning. No. 2 pick James Wiseman filled an immediate need at center.
The Warriors can’t tank again. Curry and Green are too good. They’re also too old – Curry 32, Green 30 – to waste another year of their primes.
But it’ll be difficult to advance deep in the playoffs without Thompson, a premier 3-and-D shooting guard.
Golden State can seek a replacement wing with the the Andre Iguodala trade exception ($17,185,185) and/or taxpayer mid-level exception ($5,718,000). Potential trade-exception candidates:
- Magic’s Evan Fournier
- Bucks’ Eric Bledsoe
- Rockets’ Eric Gordon
- Heat’s Andre Iguodala
- Magic’s Terrence Ross
- Spurs’ Patty Mills
- Pelicans’ J.J. Redick
- Raptors’ Norman Powell
Adding another high-priced player would be expensive with the Warriors already into the luxury tax. But accepting a lower ceiling on a team that already has Curry and Green would be downright depressing.
Thompson has $157,161,600 and four years remaining on his contract. So, he has financial security.
But that deal also causes some uncomfortable long-term planning for Golden State. Once the 30-year-old Thompson recovers from this injury, how well will he play after two full seasons off and his body put through so much?