Steve Kerr: "Apparently" Warriors made right choice not trading Klay Thompson for Kevin Love

0
987
Steve Kerr and Klay Thompson
Steve Kerr and Klay Thompson
Photo: Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports

Steve Kerr: “Apparently” Warriors made right choice not trading Klay Thompson for Kevin Love

If you think back into the offseason, before the Golden State Warriors started off this season red hot at 18-2, it was a popular subject about whether or not the Warriors would trade Klay Thompson to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal for Kevin Love. At one point it even appeared to be imminent. The Timberwolves were insistent on getting a player of Thompson’s caliber in return, which is why Andrew Wiggins was conditional upon ultimately agreeing to a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

But Golden State had a legitimate chance at landing Love, all they had to do was part ways with one-half of the Splash Brothers, but they retracted. Warriors coach Steve Kerr was hired right around the height of the trade talks this summer, and was asked about his thoughts on the potential of that deal at the time.

From Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune:

So did the Warriors do right when they refused to trade young shooting guard Klay Thompson to the Timberwolves last summer in a deal that would have brought them Kevin Love?

“Apparently,” Warriors new coach Steve Kerr said slyly. …

“These kinds of discussions happen all the time in the NBA, the difference now is they’re always public,” Kerr said about a trade on the verge of happening around draft time until the Warriors backed away. “You can’t have private discussions about anything. For me as a new coach, what I saw was maybe the best backcourt in the NBA and a chance to keep the group together. That’s pretty powerful, especially when you know you’re already pretty good.”

Klay Thompson had a consistent showing with Team USA over the summer and started off this season looking like the best player in the NBA. His abilities on both ends of the floor have progressed in significant ways for himself and his team, and his presence at shooting guard is now considered one of the best in the league.

There was good reason to fantasize over Kevin Love outlet passes going to Steph Curry in Golden State, but there’s nothing about the Warriors that suggests they made the wrong decision by not trading Klay Thompson.

 

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here