We knew this was coming because Klay Thompson himself said as much, but Warriors general manager Bob Myers made it official at the team’s media day Monday:
Thompson will be out until about the All-Star break in February, and around that time the team will update his status.
Klay Thompson is "doing fine" and the Warriors will give an update on him around the All-Star break, per GM Bob Myers.
— Logan Murdock (@loganmmurdock) September 30, 2019
Willie Cauley Stein will miss camp with a left mid-foot strain.
Bob Myers with updates on Klay Thompson and Willie Cayley-Stein. Klay is doing well. Status will be updated at All-Star Break. Cauley-Stein (left foot strain) will miss camp & status will be updated at end of October. #Warriors pic.twitter.com/6BTTEyxDHq
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) September 30, 2019
Which means he is out at least 55 games — and when he returns he will be on a restriction for a while. The Warriors are going to be cautious and think long-term here, but they could have him back and close to being himself again by the playoffs. With Kevin Durant gone to another coast and Thompson out, there is a temptation to write this off as a lost season for the Warriors, but do that at your own risk.
Thompson tore his ACL during Game 6 of the NBA Finals, but that didn’t stop the Warriors from giving him a five-year, $190 million max extension this summer (nor should it have). Thompson averaged 21.5 points per game last season, shot 40.2 percent from three, and is one of the league’s better wing defenders.