Klay Thompson Will Play Thursday, Draymond Green And James Wiseman Still Ramping Up

2 min read • March 03, 2022

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NBA

The wounded Warriors got several pieces of good news on Wednesday, chiefly that Klay Thompson joined the team on the road and proclaimed that he has every intention of playing Thursday against Dallas. 

Thompson has missed the last 2 games, including a Sunday loss that featured a blown 21-point lead vs the Mavericks, with a general illness but was at practice today and is listed as questionable for the contest. 

Also at practice were Draymond Green and James Wiseman, who each continue to take steps towards their returns to the court.

Green has not played since Jan. 9 with a bulging disk and his rehab has been extended multiple times. Steve Kerr said today that the 4-time all-star is "making strides," although he gave no indication on when he would return. 

The ProBasketballDocs have maintained a healthy concern of Green's ability to return and compete at a high level this season in his role as a pseudo-center while expressing the real potential for eventual surgery to repair the herniated disk. 

The Warriors were 29-7 on Jan. 3, coming off of wins over the Suns, Jazz, and Heat in the 10 days prior. Golden State is 14-12 since and 2-6 in its last 8 games following a 9-game winning streak, barely hanging onto the No. 2 seed over the surging Grizzlies. 

Green participated in a 3-on-3 post-practice scrimmage that also included Wiseman, who appears closer to playing than Green. 

Wiseman has bounced back-and-forth between the Warriors and their G-League compatriots while ramping up his conditions, and continues to be listed as day-to-day. 

The lanky lefty underwent surgery to repair a torn right meniscus last April, and went back for a second clean-up procedure in December to help ease swelling in his knee. 

The ProBasketballDocs believe that Wiseman will be slow this season as he is eased back into the lineup, something Kerr has also stated time and again.

It is important to note Wiseman has not had much game action in the recent years: since the Memphis state championship game in March 2019 36 months ago, Wiseman has played in 42 competitive games, or 1.17 games per month. 

Also of concern is his potentially arthritic right knee, as evidenced by the need for a second procedure late last year 8 months after the injury. The 20-year-old will need to carefully manage the knee and watch for swelling as he progresses this season and deeper into his career.