{"id":106644,"date":"2024-11-12T20:26:23","date_gmt":"2024-11-13T01:26:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=106644"},"modified":"2024-11-12T20:26:23","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T01:26:23","slug":"warriors-what-kept-klay-thompson-not-draymond-green","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/11\/12\/warriors-what-kept-klay-thompson-not-draymond-green\/","title":{"rendered":"What If Warriors Kept Klay Thompson, Not Draymond Green?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Tonight, the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks will face each other for the first time since <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/t\/thompkl01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Klay Thompson<\/a>\u2019s decision to walk away from The Bay.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Before his return to <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/WarriorsGround?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#WarriorsGround<\/a><\/p>\n<p>take a look back at 11 of the most ICONIC moments of Klay Thompson&#8217;s Warriors&#8217; career \u2614\ufe0f <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/bDgFIQ7bYJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/bDgFIQ7bYJ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Golden State Warriors (@warriors) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/warriors\/status\/1856399309723578554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">November 12, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The atmosphere is thick with tension as Thompson spent the first 11 years of his career in Golden State, making history alongside <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/curryst01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stephen Curry<\/a> as one-half of the Splash Brothers. With that being said, it was never Thompson who was supposed to leave the Warriors.<\/p>\n<p>If any one of their core players had to be odd man out, it probably should\u2019ve been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/greendr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Draymond Green<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>What If Warriors Kept Klay Thompson, Not Draymond Green?<\/h2>\n<p>Thompson sulking behind the scenes last season didn\u2019t help the team\u2019s chemistry. Yet, he\u2019s not the one whose emotional volatility has cost them <a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/warriors-draymond-green-steve-kerr-admit-punch-incident-with-jordan-poole-hindered-season-160035646.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">important games and players<\/a>, from the NBA Playoffs to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/poolejo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jordan Poole<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n<p>Thompson\u2019s perimeter defense has declined since his ACL and Achilles injuries. Regardless, he\u2019s 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\u2019s the Warriors\u2019 best option.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly, though Green has been key to Golden State\u2019s success, the emphasis on versatility has made his skillset a bit less unique than it used to be. It wouldn\u2019t necessarily be easy to replace Green. Nonetheless, there are fewer snipers of Thompson\u2019s caliber than there are playmakers of Green\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p>All of that aside, there\u2019s an even more compelling reason why the Warriors should\u2019ve kept Thompson instead of Green. They would\u2019ve been able to trot out a balanced first unit that they still don\u2019t have.<\/p>\n<h3>The Roster Was Set-Up For Him To Stay<\/h3>\n<p>When the Warriors drafted <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/k\/kuminjo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jonathan Kuminga<\/a> seventh overall in 2021, he was actually part of a package deal.<\/p>\n<p>Golden State had originally received the draft pick that would become Kuminga in 2020, when they traded <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/russeda01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">D\u2019Angelo Russell<\/a> to the Minnesota Timberwolves for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wiggian01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Andrew Wiggins<\/a>. If Steve Kerr has believed that Kuminga <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/10\/08\/warriors-jonathan-kuminga-wants-first-time-all-star-in-2024-25\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">is a power forward<\/a> all along, that means that he was drafted as Green\u2019s eventual replacement, not Thompson\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p>In 2023, the passing of the torch seemed like it was ready to commence. Green <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/8irZB5__gfY\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">declined his player option<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n<p>Had he left, it would\u2019ve been a franchise-altering decision. On the downside, Golden State would\u2019ve lost a key player who helped them become a dynastic team. For <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/09\/17\/steve-kerr-divulges-most-maddening-draymond-green-moment\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">all of the drama<\/a> surrounding Green, he\u2019s beloved by the organization.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, the Warriors would\u2019ve 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, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/10\/28\/wizards-jordan-poole-looks-strong-to-start-the-season\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">the way he\u2019s currently playing<\/a> is a major reason why Golden State won their last championship.<\/p>\n<p>Kuminga would\u2019ve then been able to start. Whether the Warriors started Poole or Wiggins with Thompson on the wing, they would\u2019ve had enough shooting to <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/11\/04\/can-warriors-play-jonathan-kuminga-strengths-starter\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">make his fit completely feasible<\/a>. Keeping Wiggins in the first unit would\u2019ve allowed to lean into their defense, as they\u2019re doing now. Inserting Poole into it would\u2019ve led to a supercharged offense.<\/p>\n<p>The problems that Golden State <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/11\/12\/steve-kerr-klay-thompson-dallas-mavericks\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">ran into last season<\/a> wouldn\u2019t have existed.<\/p>\n<h3>Fast-Forward<\/h3>\n<p>The rotation of Curry, Thompson, Poole, Kuminga, Wiggins, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/podzibr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brandin Podziemski<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/moodymo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Moses Moody<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jackstr02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Trayce Jackson-Davis<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/l\/looneke01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevon Looney<\/a> might have still been joined by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hieldbu01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Buddy Hield<\/a> this offseason, as Hield simply fits the Warriors system to a t. Instead of Splash Brothers, Golden State would have the Splash Family.<\/p>\n<p>The biggest question would\u2019ve been who operates as the co-facilitator in the first unit. Kuminga\u2019s a strong defender who could honestly make Green forgettable in some ways. Still, he\u2019s not yet an advanced enough passer to be considered a two-way playmaker.<\/p>\n<p>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 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/anderky01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kyle Anderson<\/a> 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\u2019s.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tonight, the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks will face each other for the first time since Klay Thompson\u2019s 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&#8217;s Warriors&#8217; career \u2614\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/bDgFIQ7bYJ \u2014 Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5008,"featured_media":106660,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[25,1608,2,62],"tags":[409,4297,1909,70,297,48],"class_list":["post-106644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-warriors","category-basketball","category-featured","category-nba","tag-draymond-green","tag-jonathan-kuminga","tag-jordan-poole","tag-klay-thompson","tag-nba-free-agency","tag-stephen-curry"],"modified_by":"Quenton S Albertie","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106644","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5008"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106644"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106644\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/106660"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106644"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=106644"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=106644"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}