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Will Klay Thompson Get The Kevin Love Treatment?

By Jared Mueller

July 24, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USA guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots a basket against China in the first half during an exhibition basketball game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
July 24, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USA guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots a basket against China in the first half during an exhibition basketball game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Klay Thompson is now the third wheel for the Golden State Warriors, will he get the same treatment Kevin Love does for the Cleveland Cavaliers?

When Kevin Love joined the Cleveland Cavaliers, the fit seemed to make a ton of sense. A sweet shooting power forward who can play in the pick and roll, pick-and-pop game with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving was perfect.

Love’s ability to rebound and pass were seen as great extras while his poor defense wasn’t expected to be a big deal, especially when the Cavs could score the way they were expected to.

Klay Thompson has been No. 2 to Stephen Curry for the past few years but he’s also been a vital cog in the Splash Brothers duo that made the Golden State Warriors both champions and the greatest regular season team ever.

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Curry and Thompson could shoot from anywhere, drive to the hole and open up space for the rest of the team. Thompson could even play out of the post when teams placed a smaller player on him.

That allowed third wheel Draymond Green to play his role perfectly. He played defense, rebounded, kept the ball moving and hit open shots.

Together, the Golden State Warriors’ Big 3 had found a much better way to play together than the Cavs’ version of LeBron, Kyrie and Kevin. The fit was better, strengths played off each other and each settled into their roles.

Along comes Kevin Durant.

No one would ever turn down signing one of the top five (Three? Two?) players in the league. The Warriors, due to the huge cap spike and Curry’s under market deal (those bad ankles early in his career ended up paying off), were able to make room for Durant and got him to sign.

Adding Durant to Curry, Thompson and Green has made many believe that the Warriors are certain to win another NBA title. The few doubters are either Cavs fans, in denial or wonder how fit and the loss of depth could hurt their chances.

The fit of Klay alongside Durant and Curry is most interesting. As Love found out coming to Cleveland, moving down a peg or two can be very difficult.

Here are a few of the problems Love has had since coming to Cleveland:

  • Not knowing when he will get shots.
  • Trying to force his shots.
  • Not knowing or feeling comfortable where he is supposed to be on the floor.
  • Body language being analyzed regularly.
  • Weaknesses being highlighted.
  • Constant trade rumors often focused on how to get a quantity of players that “fit” better in return.

So will Klay be subject to the same set of problems and treatment as Love has been, and continues to be, in Cleveland? Looking at each of the problems listed above for Thompson can enlighten us:

Not knowing when he will get shots

Unlike the Cavs, the Warriors have an offensive system based on ball and player movement. This will be something new for Durant so early chemistry issues will be a struggle. Outside of their movement offense, Curry would dribble down the shot clock before hoisting a deep shot but the rest of the offense was open. Durant will want his share of isolation plays as well.

Klay then will be relegated to getting shots in the flow of the offense when Curry and Durant allow it. We could see Warriors head coach Steve Kerr stagger his rotations to keep Curry and Thompson together more often, with Durant leading the second unit, to help Klay get his shots.

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    • It will be interesting to see if the Warriors try to force shots for Thompson and Green early in the game like the Cavs have often done with Love.

    Trying to force his shots

    Klay likes to shoot and has a lightning fast release. He can get a shot off at anytime. Before Durant arrived, forcing shots was already an option for Thompson. Now, with two ball dominant players surrounding him, Klay may find himself pushing harder to get his up.

    Klay knows what he is capable of. He set an NBA record with 37 points in a single quarter. He knows that shooting is his bread and butter and that ultimate confidence will lead to forced shots.

    Not knowing or feeling comfortable where he is supposed to be on the floor

    Steph and Klay often worked from behind the arc but above the foul line. It worked for them as each had space to work, was available to catch and shoot and helped space the floor for the other. Green often roamed the middle or set a pick while the small foward (Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodala) setup shop in the corner.

    Durant also likes working from the wing which could push Klay into the corner, taking away some options for him. He can catch and shoot still but on the drive will be limited to a one-way option.

    He could also easily disengage knowing that he is often two passes away from the ball when either Curry or Durant have it on the wing. It will be vital for him to stay ready but with shot possibilities limited, will he be able to focus?

    Body language being analyzed regularly

    From the outside looking in, Klay wears his heart on his sleeve and often shows his emotions. Love also has a similar visible response to his emotions, either good or bad.

    Expect many think pieces on Klay’s facial experssions and body language. GIFs and Vines of Thompson reacting will likely fill social media like this one of Dwight Howard after his team won a Playoff game last season:

    Weaknesses being highlighted

    Unlike Love, Thompson is a very good defender. He has averaged over 20 points a game the last two seasons while shooting greater than 40 percent from behind the three-point arc every season in the league. His other stats have also been consistent, if mediocre, since coming into the league: around 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals a game.

    With Curry, Thompson hasn’t been in position to make plays with the ball as much. He has averaged just less than 2.0 turnovers a game to go along with 2.0 assists — not a great ratio. Of his 651 shots made last season, only 124 were unassisted.

    It is possible that Klay could be a better creator with the ball and just hasn’t been asked to but as his scoring average is likely to drop other areas will be focused on. If Thompson is only averaging 14 points a game but still only grabbing 3.0 rebounds while having a 1-to-1 assist to turnover ratio, fans and media may start to focus there.

    Constant trade rumors often focused on how to get a quantity of players that “fit” better in return

    Love is always in trade rumors. Even after winning the NBA title, the media and fanbase have all been calling for the Cavs to trade Love.

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    These trades often are for two or three role players that seem to fit better. Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley and one other from the Boston Celtics is the most often “rumored” deal.

    The Warriors could find themselves in a similar situation. With Durant and Curry, the Warriors will not need Thompson to be a big scorer. Instead, his defense will be valued but fans might be tempted by the same things Cavs fans are: quantity and fit.

    With the Warriors losing a lot of depth to sign Durant, trading Thompson for the Crowder, Bradley plus one package could certainly be a rumor floated quickly. Both Crowder and Bradley present the Warriors with players who can slide into roles quickly and build some depth on a team that is thin after their Big 4 with Shaun Livingston and the aging Andre Iguodala as their main backups.

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    We all know Klay Thompson is a great player. We all knew Kevin Love was a great player. Coming to Cleveland to join LeBron James and Kyrie Irving has created some issues for Love.

    Will Klay Thompson have similar issues now that Golden State has added Kevin Durant?

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