After two tough seasons without franchise legend Klay Thompson, the Warriors reportedly have a target date in mind for the five-time All-Star's eagerly anticipated return to the hardwood.
The Dubs have circled their Christmas Day game against the reigning Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns for Thompson's potential comeback date, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.
While the Warriors and their fans would surely love to see Thompson back out there when their season tips off against the Lakers in Los Angeles on Oct. 18, the team has previously hinted that he was unlikely to have the green light from the outset.
"He's doing well in his recovery, but the Warriors are targeting that Christmas Day game against the Suns for his return," Shelburne said on ESPN's "The Jump," hosted by Rachel Nichols.
"He could come back a little bit before that," Shelburne added, "but in terms of getting his conditioning right, they're targeting that Christmas Day game against the Suns. I know that sounds a little late to people, but he was injured on Nov. 18 [2020], so this is 13 months from an Achilles injury."
The 31-year-old shooting guard has missed each of the past two seasons, first due to a torn ACL in 2019, and then the ruptured Achilles tendon last year.
The Warriors slumped with with of their Splash Brothers sidelined, but still managed to make the postseason last year, thanks to the usual strong play of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
But with a presumably healthy Thompson back in the fold, the Warriors should be serious contenders in the Western Conference once again. Last year's first-round draft pick James Wiseman will have another year of development under his belt, and the roster has been reinforced with the addition of Otto Porter Jr. and return Andre Iguodala.
The Christmas Day slate features a handful of potentially exciting matchups, including Hawks-Knicks, Celtics-Bucks, Warriors-Suns, Nets-Lakers and Jazz-Mavericks.
Thompson's return should only make it all the more intriguing. Stay tuned.
