Because the Bay Area sports teams haven’t endured enough injuries this year, add Klay Thompson to the mix. The three-time NBA Champion suffered a season-ending Achilles tear on Wednesday in a workout with other league players, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported.
What an awful blow to Thompson and the Golden State Warriors alike. Thompson, who is a five-time NBA All-Star and part of one of the most prolific backcourts in NBA history, missed all of last season with a torn ACL that he sustained in Game 6 of the 2018 NBA Finals. After rehabbing for an entire season, the now 30-year-old is faced with yet another year of recovery — this time to his opposite leg.
The Warriors will be applying for the Disabled Player Exception worth $9.3 million to attempt to add a player to compensate for this devastating blow. They will be hard-pressed to replace Thompson’s presence on the court and in the locker room.
Not to reduce Thompson to a number, but the financial impact of Thompson’s contract is massive. He is currently entering year two of a five-year, $189.9 million contract. They owe him a lot of guaranteed money, which will significantly hinder Golden State’s ability to put together a contending roster without Klay on the court.
Support is already pouring in on Twitter from around the league:
The Thompson injury coinciding with the NBA Draft is a fascinating parallel. While the Warriors should be thrilled at the prospect of adding an incredibly athletic 7-footer in James Wiseman, the journey to building a championship roster just got much more arduous.
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