Klay Thompson had surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee on Tuesday in Los Angeles, a league source confirmed to Bay Area News Group after ESPN first reported the news. Thompson injured his knee nearly three weeks ago in the Warriors' decisive Game 6 loss of the NBA Finals to the Toronto Raptors, but he waited to have surgery to allow the swelling to subside.
Thompson is expected have what one source called "a standard recovery timetable" on an ACL injury, which usually lasts anywhere between six to nine months. According to that timeline, Thompson could return anywhere between mid-December and late March next season.
The Warriors are optimistic about Thompson's recovery. That explains why the Warriors agreed with Thompson on a five-year, $190 million max deal. He has played in 615 out of a possible 640 regular-season games in his eight-year NBA career.
Thompson also appeared in all 120 playoff games of his NBA career before sitting out against the Toronto Raptors in Game 3 of the NBA Finals with left hamstring tightness. Thompson returned for the next three games before tearing his ACL in his left knee after Raptors forward Danny Green fouled him on a dunk attempt with 2:22 left in the third quarter. After Jonas Jerebko and Jordan Bell helped Thompson to the locker room, he walked back on his own to the court to make two foul shots.
The Warriors then praised Thompson for his toughness and competitiveness. The Warriors also stressed they would not hesitate to sign Thompson to a max deal after he helped the team win three NBA titles and cemented himself as one of the league's best two-way players.
