Klay Thompson is hoping to rediscover his form with the Golden State Warriors, as a tough season for the veteran shooter has resulted in a tough season for the Warriors. Despite Klay’s struggles, he’s tried buying into a new role in Golden State.
Draymond Green has a lot of respect for Klay, discussing the same with a ‘pretty girl-ugly girl’ analogy to describe Klay’s sacrifices for the Warriors and Stephen Curry.
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“The reason why I have a ton of respect for Klay is because two guys walk into a bar – Steph and it’s Klay Thompson. And every night, Steph says, ‘Alright you see those two girls? I’m taking the pretty one, and you gotta take the ugly girl.’ And Klay say, ‘Alright, Imma take the ugly girl, let’s go, and take one for the team,’ because as great a shooter Klay is, he goes and guards the best player. And yet he’s never going to get the credit… not one time did he ever complain about it not one time did he ever feel like, ‘Ah man, I need to be this.’ (He) didn’t care about what anyone else had to say, and to me, that set the tone for the team. Because you’re the second-best player on the team, you’re the second option, and you take that approach every single night.”
Klay bought into a new role for the Warriors’ win over the Jazz, accepting a bench role behind rookie Brandin Podziemski. It turned out to be a great decision, as Klay dropped 36 points in a fantastic performance which the Warriors won by just one point.
Klay is averaging 17.3 points this season with a notable decline in his scoring consistency as well as his defense. Age and injuries have caught up tp him, but Klay is determined to end the story on his terms.
Klay Thompson Is OK With A Smaller Role In Golden State
Thompson’s decline this season has concerned many. He held out on signing a contract extension in the summer to earn more dollars from the Warriors, with people worrying he’s ended up hurting his value even more. But the Warriors legend is willing to play any role on the franchise, hoping to enjoy a long career like 18-year veterans Ray Allen and Reggie Miller.
“There’s nothing wrong with that. I’ll be 35 next year. At 35, coming off the ACL and an Achilles [tear] and still have the ability to be a really good player. Maybe not the guy who scored 60 in three quarters and scored an NBA record 37 points in a quarter, but still a great threat out there. I’ve modeled my game after Reggie [Miller] and Ray [Allen], and those guys were incredibly effective until their late 30s. So I plan on kind of following that mold.”
Whether this desire will fall on his wallet is a different question, as Klay could stay on with the Warriors if he took a pay cut next season. He’s earned a max extension based on what he means to the franchise, but it’ll be hard for the team to offer him that given the salary cap implications.
The Golden State Warriors are watching their dynasty erode from under them. After winning four titles in eight years, they lost a West playoff series for the first time last year. This year, they seem to be rooted to the No. 10 seed and sitting five games behind the No. 6 seed.
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