Tonight, the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks will face each other for the first time since Klay Thompson’s decision to walk away from The Bay.
Before his return to #WarriorsGround
take a look back at 11 of the most ICONIC moments of Klay Thompson’s Warriors’ career ☔️ pic.twitter.com/bDgFIQ7bYJ
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 12, 2024
The atmosphere is thick with tension as Thompson spent the first 11 years of his career in Golden State, making history alongside Stephen Curry as one-half of the Splash Brothers. With that being said, it was never Thompson who was supposed to leave the Warriors.
If any one of their core players had to be odd man out, it probably should’ve been Draymond Green.
What If Warriors Kept Klay Thompson, Not Draymond Green?
Thompson sulking behind the scenes last season didn’t help the team’s chemistry. Yet, he’s not the one whose emotional volatility has cost them important games and players, from the NBA Playoffs to Jordan Poole. Frankly, the Warriors might not be in the mess they were in entering the season had Poole still been on the roster and playing well.
Thompson’s perimeter defense has declined since his ACL and Achilles injuries. Regardless, he’s an offensive threat that defenses have always been worried about. That makes him the antithesis of Green, a stout defender who teams are willing to let shoot if that’s the Warriors’ best option.
Lastly, though Green has been key to Golden State’s success, the emphasis on versatility has made his skillset a bit less unique than it used to be. It wouldn’t necessarily be easy to replace Green. Nonetheless, there are fewer snipers of Thompson’s caliber than there are playmakers of Green’s.
All of that aside, there’s an even more compelling reason why the Warriors should’ve kept Thompson instead of Green. They would’ve been able to trot out a balanced first unit that they still don’t have.
The Roster Was Set-Up For Him To Stay
When the Warriors drafted Jonathan Kuminga seventh overall in 2021, he was actually part of a package deal.
Golden State had originally received the draft pick that would become Kuminga in 2020, when they traded D’Angelo Russell to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Andrew Wiggins. If Steve Kerr has believed that Kuminga is a power forward all along, that means that he was drafted as Green’s eventual replacement, not Thompson’s.
In 2023, the passing of the torch seemed like it was ready to commence. Green declined his player option, receiving offers from multiple teams, including the Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies. He got cold feet when it came to actually leaving though, and re-signed with the Warriors.
Had he left, it would’ve been a franchise-altering decision. On the downside, Golden State would’ve lost a key player who helped them become a dynastic team. For all of the drama surrounding Green, he’s beloved by the organization.
On the other hand, the Warriors would’ve been able to keep Poole, who they traded days after Green decided to stay. Poole had a rough go of it in his first season with the Washington Wizards. However, the way he’s currently playing is a major reason why Golden State won their last championship.
Kuminga would’ve then been able to start. Whether the Warriors started Poole or Wiggins with Thompson on the wing, they would’ve had enough shooting to make his fit completely feasible. Keeping Wiggins in the first unit would’ve allowed to lean into their defense, as they’re doing now. Inserting Poole into it would’ve led to a supercharged offense.
The problems that Golden State ran into last season wouldn’t have existed.
Fast-Forward
The rotation of Curry, Thompson, Poole, Kuminga, Wiggins, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Kevon Looney might have still been joined by Buddy Hield this offseason, as Hield simply fits the Warriors system to a t. Instead of Splash Brothers, Golden State would have the Splash Family.
The biggest question would’ve been who operates as the co-facilitator in the first unit. Kuminga’s a strong defender who could honestly make Green forgettable in some ways. Still, he’s not yet an advanced enough passer to be considered a two-way playmaker.
This could have led to the Warriors starting Poole alongside Curry, which seemed to be the plan after his breakout season. This would have made someone like Kyle Anderson an even more impactful signing, even as a bench player. Anderson is an astute playmaker and multi-positional defender at 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds, traits that are similar to Green’s.
