Klay Thompson’s Warriors sixth man position: What it means

WHEN THE Golden State Warriors celebrated inside the house locker room following Stephen Curry’s newest heroics, Klay Thompson sat alone at his locker with a towel draped over his head.

It was Feb. 10, and Curry had simply hit a last-second, game-winning 3-pointer to ship the Chase Heart crowd right into a frenzy and safe a 113-112 win towards the Phoenix Suns. It put the Warriors again at .500 for the primary time since December.

Thompson’s efficiency — 2 of 10 taking pictures (1 of seven from deep) in 24 minutes — had been the most recent in a string of poor performances for the five-time All-Star. When a teammate tried to consolation him after the sport, Thompson whipped his cellphone at his locker in frustration.

It has been a tricky season for the 34-year-old guard. His 42.1% area objective proportion is the bottom since his rookie yr in 2011-12. He is averaging 17.2 factors per sport, his fewest since his second season.

Thompson’s struggles culminated on Feb. 15, when coach Steve Kerr introduced Thompson off the bench towards the Utah Jazz. It was the primary time since his rookie yr that he would not begin, a spot within the Warriors lineup he had held for 727 video games.

However in his debut as a reserve, Thompson offered a large elevate within the third quarter. He hit 4 of his seven 3s within the body to assist the Warriors draw back.

“You are able to do two issues,” Thompson mentioned after the 129-107 win, “You’ll be able to pout or you possibly can go on the market and reply.”

Thursday’s highway matchup with the New York Knicks shall be Thompson’s sixth sport as Golden State’s sixth man, a job that was as soon as unfathomable to the four-time champion and future Corridor of Famer. However there had been indicators all season {that a} change was wanted to get him and the Warriors’ season on monitor.

In tenth place within the Western Convention and 4.5 video games behind sixth place — and avoiding the play-in event — the Warriors have relied on a beginning lineup that features standout rookie Brandin Podziemski and rising third-year ahead Jonathan Kuminga.

Including them to a beginning lineup that features Curry, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Inexperienced has revitalized the Warriors, who have been twelfth within the West on the Feb. 8 commerce deadline. Thompson’s new position, which, regardless of a number of early challenges, has additionally helped Golden State climb again into the playoff race.

“That is actually about discovering the very best model of our group,” Kerr advised ESPN. “[It’s] been this huge experimental part … That experimental part is just not straightforward.”

THOMPSON INITIALLY DIDN’T take the information effectively. Kerr advised ESPN that Thompson yelled at him and a few of the assistants. Later, he got here again to apologize to the coaches.

“It was not a simple dialog,” Kerr mentioned. “That is perhaps the toughest half about getting additional away from our prime. It is simply, after 12 years [of Thompson starting], it wasn’t straightforward

“And nonetheless shifting ahead, it isn’t going to be straightforward. However I advised him, ‘Should you actually embrace it, you possibly can assist your group win.'”

Kerr mentioned the timing of the dialogue forward of the All-Star break would assist Thompson course of the information — a choice that he agreed with.

“Simply not watching basketball, not watching sports activities,” Thompson advised ESPN. “It was having an entire reset, an enormous psychological reset. It helped a lot.”

Thompson spent his All-Star break in Southern California together with his dad and mom, siblings and nephew, whereas additionally having time on the water.

“Simply with the ability to nonetheless be on the market enjoying with these guys, that in itself is superb,” Thompson mentioned of his time spent reflecting over the break. “It has been a season of evolution.”

This season, Thompson has been candid about his on-court struggles. In a 124-123 defeat to the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 28, he had 20 factors however failed to attain within the fourth quarter.

When requested after the sport if the group wanted lineup changes, Thompson sharply retorted, “What, are you going to bench me?”

There have been additionally his remarks after the 109-98 win on Feb. 5 over the Brooklyn Nets, throughout which Kerr had rookie guard Gui Santos end out the sport over Thompson.

“I really feel nice bodily … Mentally, in all probability somewhat totally different story. However such is life,” Thompson advised reporters at his locker after the sport, just for Draymond Inexperienced to chime from throughout the room about being benched late in an NBA Finals sport, stating, “So who f—ing cares?”

These moments have been much less about frustrations with the group and extra about his personal degree of play, in keeping with a supply near Thompson.

“He looks like he is letting everybody down,” the supply advised ESPN. “He does not need to be a drain. He desires to assist. He desires to really feel useful.”

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THOMPSON’S MOVE TO the bench has helped him remind the league he stays a harmful 3-point risk. He has linked on 45% of his 3-pointers in his first 5 video games as a reserve after taking pictures simply 27% on 3s within the earlier 9 video games.

“The considered him coming off the bench as our flame thrower, it is a fairly highly effective weapon,” Kerr mentioned.

Thompson’s bench taking pictures apart, Kerr has mentioned he likes the best way Podziemski “connects the sport” and compliments the beginning lineup with Curry, Inexperienced, Wiggins and Kuminga. Among the many 70 five-man lineups within the league to play a minimum of 100 minutes this season, the Warriors starters rank third in web effectivity (plus-21.6).

With Thompson within the lineup as an alternative of Podziemski, the effectivity ranking stays strong however drops to plus-10.2, which ranks seventeenth leaguewide.

“Now we’re leaning on these younger guys, which can also be nice,” Thompson mentioned. “It is very laborious to maintain the elite degree that we play. Due to this fact, you have to depend on your group as an entire.”

However there have additionally been false begins for Thompson. Within the Feb. 22 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, the primary sport again from the All-Star break, Thompson had a season-low three factors. In Sunday’s 119-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets, he had 23 first-half factors however went scoreless within the second half.

Nonetheless, Thompson has led the group in scoring in three of his 5 video games off the bench — together with Tuesday’s 123-112 win over the Washington Wizards. He has additionally discovered connectivity throughout the second unit, most notably veteran heart and three-time champion Kevon Looney. Thompson has shot 12 of 15 from the sector, together with 9 of 10 on 3-pointers, when coming off an on-ball display set by Looney, per Second Spectrum monitoring.

With guard Chris Paul again in motion after lacking six weeks because of a hand damage, Kerr will now need to re-integrate one other future Corridor of Famer into the Warriors’ second unit.

“Attempting to combine and match the teams to seek out the appropriate teams is tough,” Kerr mentioned. “It isn’t at all times clear for me or our employees who we must always play as a result of we have numerous guys who’re at related ranges and so they all should play.”

ONE DAY BEFORE the NBA commerce deadline, Thompson stood within the heart of a gaggle of reporters within the guests’ locker room after a 127-104 highway win over the Philadelphia 76ers the place he mentioned he needed to stay with the one NBA group he is ever performed for.

Thompson, who makes $43 million this season, is ready to change into a free agent this summer season for the primary time in his profession. Negotiations over an extension started final summer season, however no settlement was made. A league supply advised ESPN that these talks by no means received to the purpose the place totally different greenback quantities have been being thrown round; as an alternative, a spread was offered to Thompson.

There’s an understanding {that a} most contract — Thompson is eligible for a four-year, $223 million extension — is unrealistic. A league supply advised ESPN that cash and his lineup standing aren’t driving forces for Thompson, and he stays open to a shorter-term deal.

On Wednesday, Kerr formally signed a two-year extension, aligning him with the 2 years left on Curry’s contract. Getting Thompson a deal that will additionally align him with these two could be a viable choice, the league supply added.

The Warriors try to keep away from a expensive summer season. Group proprietor Joe Lacob has mentioned he desires to place the group to keep away from paying the posh tax subsequent season — which suggests getting beneath the projected $172 million wage cap. The group might decline Paul’s choice for subsequent season, which might save $30 million whereas making him an unrestricted free agent.

Thompson’s destiny hinges on how the group approaches these contract conversations and the way a lot they need to maintain the dynasty core collectively, much like what Kerr mentioned about his new deal.

“We’ve got an period that is winding down and one other that is coming. We’re attempting to make them merge and take advantage of that,” Kerr advised reporters after officializing his deal.

However very like his new position on the courtroom, Thompson has accepted that the ultimate part of his Corridor of Fame profession might look totally different any more.

“Whether or not I am carrying a Dubs uniform or one other uniform, I’ll be myself,” Thompson mentioned after that sport in Philadelphia. “I’ll be KT.”