Shooting guard Klay Thompson last featured for the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. The raptors were 3-2 up in the series and just a win away from clinching their maiden NBA title. Warriors forward Kevin Durant had suffered an Achilles tear in the second quarter of Game 5.

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Thompson, already on 28 points for the night, was fouled by Danny Green during an attempted dunk. The Warriors starman went down hard on one knee and was carried to the locker room by teammates. Although he returned later in the game, limping, to a raucous cheer, the task was already out of hand for the Warriors and eventually, the Toronto side went on to win their first title.

Thompson had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and that was the last time he made plied his trade in an NBA game. He was set to return to the floor last season but, unfortunately, picked up an Achilles tendon injury that ended his hopes of playing this past year.

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However, if reports are to be believed, the 31-year-old is now nearing a return to the court in the latter part of the 2021-22 regular season. Warriors coach Steve Kerr and GM Bob Myers both are positive about the return.

So what would the return of Klay Thompson mean for the Golden State Warriors? What would the reunification of the Splash Brothers mean for the San Francisco team? Let’s take a look.

Ahead of the injury, Thompson had made 122 appearances in the playoffs, missing only one game. He had also played in 615 of 640 regular season fixtures across eight seasons.

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The addition of Klay Thompson would mean more shooting firepower from the three-point range, which the Warriors have lacked since his injury. Klay is one of the finest shooters the game has ever seen and along with Stephen Curry, the duo can wreak havoc and make a mockery out of opposition defences.

The return of Klay also means the Curry wouldn’t be double or triple-teamed as that would leave the 31-year-old in ample space to operate and snap up three-pointers with ease.

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However, there may be some drop-off on the defensive end, where Thompson was always one of the most effective and versatile guards in the league, even earning All-Defensive Second Team honours in 2019, owing to the likely physical toll after a career-threatening injury.

In a recently emerged footage, Thompson drained 10 straight corner threes in a gruelling workout drill, indicating his biggest asset – his instantaneous snap-release jumper – is still largely unaffected. Whatever kind of impact the injury might have had on him physically, he is still likely going to drain well over 40% of his three-point attempts and score 15 to 20 points a night.