Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson (Photo : Getty Images)
Klay Thompson could be the odd man out in Golden State once Kevin Durant takes over as the more reliable scorer next to Stephen Curry.
Durant's arrival in Golden State could open up several possibilities, one of which mainly includes a chance for another NBA championship for the Warriors. However, Jared Mueller of Hoops Habit believes the former OKC Thunder star's presence may affect the role of certain players, including Klay Thompson.
Mueller explore the possibility of Thompson being the third well in the Warriors' offense once Durant takes over, something similar to what Kevin Love turned into when he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to Mueller, the few problems Love encountered with the Cavs, including forced shots, weaknesses being highlighted and being uncomfortable on the playing court, could happen to Thompson once the regular season opens. But more intriguingly, Mueller noted that Thompson may be subjected to "constant trade rumors often focused on how to get a quantity of players that 'fit' better in return."
Mueller explained how the Warriors could become identical to the Cavs being surrounded by rumors of trading Love despite Cleveland winning the championship.
"The Warriors could find themselves in a similar situation. With Durant and Curry, the Warriors will not need Thompson to be a big scorer. Instead, his defense will be valued but fans might be tempted by the same things Cavs fans are: quantity and fit," Mueller wrote.
It probably sounds ridiculous at this point that the Warriors could entertain trading Thompson, who has been the second best scorer in Golden State next to Stephen Curry.
Thompson, a two-time NBA All-Star, averaged career highs last season for the Warriors, scoring 22.2 points a game on 17.3 field goal attempts, including 8.1 from beyond the arc. But Thompson's value is more than being a sharp-shooter and a threat from the three-point line, his defense and motion on the court help the Warriors become a very effective team.
Sam Amick of USA Today Sports believes that if anyone would be affected by Durant playing for the Warriors, it would be Thompson, who many expect to have a reduced role in light of signing the four-time scoring champ. But Thompson has insisted he is willing to sacrifice for the better good of the team, embodying the Warriors' motto of "Strength in Numbers."
"I know how good I am in this league. I'm not going to judge my performance off numbers or anything. If we get wins, it really doesn't matter, man. It's all good," Thompson said, reports ESPN.
"I look at a guy like Manu Ginobili who came off the bench almost his entire career. Never averaged more than 20 points a game, but he's a four-time champion, you know? He could have easily been on another team and averaged 25 a game, but he sacrificed to win, and that's what I expect to do next year. I don't care about averaging 25 or even 20. I just want to finish it out and get back to the Finals and enjoy that ride."
Although it is unlikely, if the Warriors do attempt to trade Thompson later in the foreseeable future, one possible landing spot is the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics have plenty of trade assets they use to acquire a proven star. As noted by Mueller, a deal involving Jae Crowder and Avery Bradley should be desirable pieces for the Warriors, while Thompson could establish his own legacy playing for the Celtics.
There probably is a very slim chance the Warriors would consider trading Thompson in the immediate future. But if the team's Durant experiment fails, it is a topic worth exploring.
