The Golden State Warriors could receive a significant boost to their title hopes if they trade Klay Thompson to the Boston Celtics for Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder, according to an NBA general manager.
Rumors about Thompson heading to Beantown were purely made out of speculations, but it suddenly came to life after former NBA player and CSN New England analyst Brian Scalabrine hinted that the Warriors could trade the two-time All-Star to the Celtics.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr quickly shot down the rumors, but dealing Thompson for Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder could be a viable option for the Warriors, which, according to one NBA GM, could do wonders for Golden State.
Considering the Warriors current roster, they need more help at the center position. Rebounding and interior defense has been a concern for the Dubs since losing Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli this past summer. Acquiring two-way players like Bradley and Crowder would fit well in Steve Kerr's system and may help the Warriors on the defensive end.
But Thompson has played an essential role in the Warriors' success in the past two seasons, and trading him is not a legitimate option, according to Warriors GM Bob Myers.
"We're not trading Klay," Myers told 95.7 The Game as transcribed by The Mercury News. "That's the short answer."
"I told Klay. I called him and I said, 'Klay doesn't listen to anything.' He doesn't even know who we play most of the time, he's not a guy that's reading everything. He hadn't even seen it. Then I talked to his agent. The media is very, very powerful. And we're in a very public business."
Thompson's recent shooting struggles and the awkward yet effective combination of the Splash Brothers and Kevin Durant may have contributed to rumors about Thompson heading to the Celtics. But Thompson has fully-embraced his new role with the team, and so far, there are no indications Golden State would trade away one of the best shooters in the league.
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