Warriors' Thompson returning vs. Cavs after missing 2-plus seasons

After weeks of speculation, five-time All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson will make his long-awaited return to the Golden State Warriors' lineup for Sunday's home game versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, the 31-year-old announced via social media.

Thompson hasn't appeared in an NBA game since he tore his left ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals. He subsequently tore his right Achilles tendon prior to the start of the 2020-21 season. The total length of his absence: 941 days.

"I hate to use the phrase 'can't wait,' because I love to be present in my life, but I cannot wait to play in front of our fans again," Thompson said in a statement. "I really, really, enjoy being a Warrior."

Thompson has averaged 19.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game with 41.9% shooting from 3-point range for his career. As a foundational player of the Warriors' dynasty alongside point guard Stephen Curry and small-ball center Draymond Green, as well as forward Kevin Durant later on, Thompson helped lead the team to championships in 2015, 2017, and 2018, and an NBA-record 73-win regular season in 2015-16.

Even in his absence from the hardwood, Thompson's broad popularity has endured. In the first returns of fan balloting for the 2022 All-Star starters, the laidback wing ranked fourth among Western Conference guards, ahead of active stars like Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Donovan Mitchell, and Damian Lillard.

It's also fair to say the Warriors have continued to build toward contention with Thompson shelved. Ahead of Saturday's slate, Golden State (29-9) trails only the Phoenix Suns (30-8) for the NBA's best record. Only the Utah Jazz boast a superior net rating (9.2 points per 100 possessions) than the Warriors' mark of 8.7.