NBA Rumors: Latest on Klay Thompson Injury Return, Marvin Bagley III Trade
The 2021-22 NBA season is in full swing, and it hasn't taken long to determine which teams could make the playoffs and which ones may be thinking more about the future.
But the league's 30 teams won't look the same all season. There are always injuries that affect rosters, as well as trades and signings that can change the NBA landscape. And while it's only mid-November, there's been plenty of talk regarding what could happen further down the line.
Here's some of the latest buzz from around the NBA.
Thompson Making Progress Toward Warriors Return
The Golden State Warriors have gotten off to a strong start this season, winning 11 of their first 12 games. It's been a stellar run that's even more impressive when you consider that the team has been without one of its top players for every game.
Klay Thompson hasn't taken the court for the Warriors since June 2019, as he missed all of the 2019-20 campaign because of a torn left ACL and the entirety of last season and the start of this year because of a torn Achilles' tendon. However, the 31-year-old guard appears to be getting closer to finally returning.
According to ESPN's Jordan Schultz, Thompson is making "steady progress" and will likely be returning in five to six weeks. That means he could be ready to play in time for Golden State's Christmas Day matchup against the Phoenix Suns.
"I'm told Klay is in 'great shape' and close to playing 5s, which is paramount to him being cleared," Schultz tweeted.
Thompson, a five-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection, could provide a big boost to the Warriors backcourt if he can return to the form he showed prior to the injuries. Of course, it could take a bit for him to get back to that level considering how much time he has missed.
But Thompson is one of the best shooters in the league. He averaged at least 20 points per game in the five seasons before his ACL injury, and he's a career 41.9 percent 3-point shooter.
So far this season, Stephen Curry's play has been the primary reason for Golden State's success, as he's averaging 28.4 points per game, which ranks second in the league. However, the Warriors may become even more dangerous once Thompson is back playing alongside him.
Pistons Potentially Looking to Make Trade for Bagley?
Marvin Bagley III's time with the Sacramento Kings may be nearing an end. Not only has the 22-year-old forward played in only one of the Kings' first 13 games this year, but there also appears to be growing tension between him and the team.
On Monday, Bagley appeared to refuse to check into Sacramento's game against Phoenix. That moment was later shared on Twitter by ABC10's Sean Cunningham, and it seemed to be the latest sign that Bagley and the Kings aren't on the same page.
It started when Bagley's agent, Jeff Schwartz, issued a statement before the season sharing his displeasure with Sacramento's plans to not include Bagley in the rotation. Since then, Bagley has barely played, with his lone appearance coming Oct. 22 against the Utah Jazz.
So it seems like Bagley could be traded. And if that happens, The Athletic's James L. Edwards III has reported that the Detroit Pistons are interested.
"Per sources, the Pistons have kept an eye on Bagley and his situation in Sacramento for some time," Edwards wrote.
Detroit may be off to a 3-9 start, but it has some young players who have a lot of potential and should only continue to improve. Bagley could fit in well with that core, especially if he puts up numbers similar to those he recorded over his first three NBA seasons.
For now, Bagley remains in Sacramento. But with the way things have been trending, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him get traded later this season, whether that's to Detroit or elsewhere.
