Sticking with Klay Thompson over Kevin Love
Rumors were swirling in the Bay Area this past offseason. Kevin Love was vocal about wanting out from Minnesota. Both teams talked and tried to get a deal going. Steve Kerr wanted to keep Thompson on the roster and said he had plans for how to use him. Opinions were split, but the Warriors ultimately kept the other half of the Splash Brothers.
The Timberwolves were simply asking for too much. In some offers, they wanted Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green involved as well. Love is a good player, but his numbers were inflated and had never appeared in the playoffs before.
Sometimes, the best move is the one you don’t make. That phrase sums up this situation perfectly.
Love was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a multi-team trade where Andrew Wiggins ended up with the Timberwolves. Love struggled to start the season with the Cavaliers and there have been several rumors about him being upset with his role as the third option.
He hasn’t played like the All-Star everyone was accustomed to seeing in Minnesota and looks like a third wheel to LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
Meanwhile, Thompson erupted for 37 points in a quarter, setting an NBA record in the process. He got an invite and participated in the Three-Point Contest during NBA All-Star Weekend and was selected as a reserve in the All-Star Game.
His defense continues to improve and he can now attack the basket at a much higher rate than ever before. His free-throw attempts went up and he demonstrated some potential as a passer in select games this year as well. His progression caught the Warriors off guard and continued to progress after he got his max contract extension near the start of the year. Playing in FIBA during the summer with Steph Curry helped Thompson grow on and off the court.
He is one of the best shooters in the league today and a top five shooting guard. He had a better season than Love and the Warriors had more success than the Cavaliers. Love hurt his shoulder earlier in the playoffs and did not play in the Finals.
It would have been interesting to see how the two played in the championship series, knowing that they were almost traded for one another. Nonetheless, Thompson is here for the long haul and the Warriors couldn’t be happier.