Klay Thompson injury update: Golden State Warriors star on track to return during Christmas week

Klay Thompson has spent the past week being an active participant in 5-on-5 scrimmages for the Golden State Warriors. The 31-year-old guard has been testing how his body responds to increased workload. As Shams Charania of The Athletic reported, Klay Thompson has been cleared to participate in all Golden State Warriors practices moving forward.

"It’s now only about conditioning and rhythm, building his body back to game shape. The next month is essentially viewed as his training camp; the increasingly intense scrimmages will be his preseason," Charania wrote for The Athletic.

Klay Thompson has missed over two years of NBA basketball after suffering two horrific injuries that have run concurrently. First, Klay Thompson tore the ACL in his left leg, and then, as his recovery was almost complete, he pulled the Achilles in his right leg.

"Barring setbacks, either Dec. 20 against the Kings or Dec. 23 against the Grizzlies are expected comeback dates before the marquee matchup on Christmas Day in Phoenix. If Thompson does not return during that pocket of games, the Warriors also have two off days after the Christmas Day game prior to a Dec. 28 home game against the Nuggets," Charania continued in his piece for The Athletic.

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The Golden State Warriors will be even more dominant with Klay Thompson

The Golden State Warriors, without Klay Thompson, have been a fearsome opponent to begin the 2021-22 NBA season and currently rank 1st in net rating because of it. Occupying first position in the Western Conference standings, the Golden State Warriors hold a 14-2 record and look every inch the championship contender they believe themselves to be.

However, they've still got another gear they can find, and with the news that Klay Thompson is nearing his return, the league should quake in fear at the Splash Brothers being reunited.

Klay Thompson, who is renowned for his movement, shooting and defensive ability, formed a ferocious back-court pairing with Steph Curry that saw the team embark on one of the greatest dynasties the NBA has ever seen. Klay Thompson averaged 21.5 points, 2.3 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game while shooting 42% from deep on 7.8 attempts per game between the 2015-16 and 2018-16 NBA seasons.

You shouldn't expect to see the Klay Thompson of old straight away, as no amount of practice or scrimmages can prepare you for the rigors of an NBA game. But should he stay healthy, Klay Thompson's return will certainly boost the Golden State Warriors' chances of reclaiming an NBA championship at the end of the season.