12/2/2023 0 Comments Klay thompson return![]() It’s a pleasant change after the last few years.Klay Thompson was dropped into the middle of a playoff race two months ago with uncertain expectations about how he’d perform. You’ll look at the stat sheet every night and see about five or six dudes that make you say, “how is he only getting that many minutes?” Lee would see his minutes dialed back, as would a few of the Poole, Andre Iguodala, and Gary Payton II trio. It could cut back on Porter’s role further, and maybe dip into Kuminga’s. Jonathan Kuminga’s emergence as a rotation piece has managed to cut into the minutes of three different players: Toscano-Anderson, Bjelica, and Porter. ![]() He’ll lose his starting role when Thompson returns, and while he’ll still be a key bench player, he could lose a bit of his role there, as well.Ĭould Poole slide into a 14-16 minutes per night role as a Lou Williams/Jamal Crawford-esque burst of instant offense off the bench? It doesn’t seem a very likely possibility, but the Warriors don’t have a ton of options here. Tuesday’s 0-for-7 has him shooting just 28.9% from three-point range, and his 4.0 assists per 36 minutes are nearly matched by his 3.1 turnovers. Jordan Poole’s growth has been tremendous over the last year, but there are still some holes in his game. But he might get the JTA treatment and move to the back of the bench to accommodate Klay. Lee will remain a big part of the team, as a leader, locker room guy, and quick-offense option if needed. Those are also Thompson’s best attributes, albeit he does them at an All-NBA level. Lee’s best attributes are a willingness to play within the system, strong cutting, a good three-point shot, and solid defense. He’s currently leading the team’s reserves in minutes per night by a healthy margin, playing more than 23 each game. ![]() ![]() Lee has been spectacular this season, but his role has always been a little in flux with the Warriors. I’m willing to listen to more pacifistic synonyms. “Eliminate” feels like a harsh word here, but maybe that’s just because I’ve been watching Squid Game. But if all goes according to plan, he’ll be playing 30 minutes a night before long, and the Warriors have to find somewhere to siphon those minutes from.īarring a trade, here are the three options as I see them. The Dubs will get to ease into solving that puzzle, as Thompson will likely be on a tight minutes restriction when he first returns to the court. But problems that are not easy for a coach to solve. There are too many good players to go around.Īgain, champagne problems. Nemanja Bjelica is playing the fewest minutes of his career, and Otto Porter Jr. They’re so deep that Juan Toscano-Anderson and Moses Moody are out of the rotation. How does Steve Kerr make room for Thompson’s minutes?Īfter looking unplayable with Curry on the bench last season, the Warriors depth is almost laughable this year. It’s a champagne problem, to be sure, but a problem nonetheless. We’re still a long ways away from Thompson’s return there’s no reason to think the timeline of getting back on the court in late December or sometime in January has changed.īut hearing an advancement in his progress - and looking at the calendar and seeing how much of November has somehow already slipped through the hourglass - has a lot of Dubs fans salivating at the thought of the second Splash Brother rejoining a team that is humming along at the top of the NBA standings. Q4OAufC1mw- Allie LaForce November 17, 2021
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