The Golden State Warriors may be looking back with a sense of regret after losing Klay Thompson last offseason.
Warriors appear to need Klay Thompson’s offense
The Warriors’ franchise legend was instrumental in building Golden State’s revolutionary offensive and defensive fabric. While injuries have taken their toll on Thompson in recent years, Golden State clearly misses what he brought to the table.
Losers of 13 of their last 17 games, the Warriors (16-16) are in the market for another All-Star. The 34-year-old may not be that anymore, but it begs to question if his three three-pointers made per game on 38 percent shooting from deep would have helped the Dubs triumph over several avoidable and narrow losses during their cold stretch.
Thompson is also putting up 14.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and one steal a game — the latter of which is his highest average since 2018-19, his last All-Star campaign. His scoring may be down due to playing behind high-usage, ball-dominant superstar scorers in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs’ pick-and-roll heavy offense might also be contributing to his 12.2 nightly field goal attempts — his lowest average since his rookie outing.
Thompson’s prowess may have stopped Warriors’ bleeding
At roughly 30 minutes a night akin to what he enjoyed a year ago in Golden State, as the Warriors’ 2A or 2B option on a similar 15 shots a night, it’s plausible to believe that he’d be converting 6.24 FG per contest, if not more in a familiar offense more catered to his game. Such would have him fall right in line with his 17.9 PPG from 2023-24.
The Warriors don’t have a third guy giving them that this year. Scratch that. They don’t even have a second guy providing them with that offense. Former All-Star Andrew Wiggins is under a glaring minutes restriction at 29.1 MPG and is scoring 16.4 PPG while Jonathan Kuminga is second on the team at 16.8 PPG.
Case in point? Thompson would be a weapon that Golden State is bereft of. Not to mention, his nonpareil clutch capabilities, elite run-stopping shotmaking, and liability to go on historic scoring tears at the drop of a dime would’ve all greatly serviced the franchise even at his current age.
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Warriors could trade for All-Star to fill Thompson’s void
Thompson likely would have helped Golden State be in better positioning at this stage of the campaign, at the least. From here though, it remains to be seen if the Warriors will seek after a three-and-d star that approximates Thompson’s value ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline or if they go with another dynamic All-Star that offers a new set of skills.
Had Thompson stayed in the Bay, he, Stephen Curry, 36, and Draymond Green, 34, could have contended for another title reminiscent to the way the San Antonio Spurs from 2012-13 to 2013-14 captured one title in the second of consecutive finals appearances led by Tim Duncan, 38, Manu Ginobili, 36, and Tony Parker, 32. Nevertheless, both the Washington State product and the Dubs will move forward on their current courses.
