“He’ll be an awesome scorer. He works so exhausting. He’ll be a tenacious defender. He’s bodily gifted. He’s going to assist any individual. He’s going to make a huge impact.”
– Klay Thompson on NBA draft prospect Buddy Hield
Klay Thompson couldn’t have recognized that when he shared this opinion with me in 2016, he would depart the Warriors eight years later and create a gap for them to interchange him with a person he described as his “Bahamian brother.”
On Thursday, three days after Thompson agreed to hitch the Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors acquired Buddy Hield to fill a lot of the void left by Klay’s exit.
It’s a sign-and-trade transaction with the Philadelphia 76ers (who will obtain Golden State’s second-round choose by way of Dallas) that completes the five-team deal initiated by Thompson’s transfer.
Although Hield by no means will change Thompson within the hearts of Dub Nation, or NBA postseason annals, it’s fairly conceivable he might replicate the manufacturing that was misplaced with Klay sure for Texas.
Actually? Actually.
There was a time when a Thompson-Hield comparability would have been laughable. When all that they had in widespread was Bahamian ancestry and elite 3-point capturing, with Klay extra elite than Buddy. Whereas Hield was toiling in relative obscurity, Thompson was a foundational member of the league’s finest staff, a perennial All-Star and, in 2018-19, a member of the NBA All-Defensive staff. He was on a bullet prepare to the Corridor of Fame.
However Thompson has not been in a position to regain that lofty standing since lacking 31 months after sustaining a torn left ACL and ruptured proper Achilles tendon. The accidents robbed Klay of his once-stellar perimeter protection, and his capturing has fallen to the identical normal district as Hield.
A have a look at the numbers, from the 2021-22 season via 2023-24:
Subject-goal proportion: Thompson 43.3 % from the sphere, Hield 44.8.
Three-point proportion: Thompson 39.7 %, Hield 39.2.
Per 36-minute scoring averages by season: Thompson 24.9, 23.8 and 21.7; Hield 18.2, 19.5, 16.9. The totals are considerably offset by Hield’s a lot decrease quantity, as he averaged lower than 12 photographs per recreation with the Indiana Pacers and 76ers.
Whereas Thompson’s statistics have been compiled with the Warriors whereas sharing the court docket with Stephen Curry, Hield’s got here whereas shuttling via the Sacramento Kings, Pacers and 76ers.
From an goal perspective, Thompson, 34, and Hield, 31, have turn into very related gamers – and that features protection. Hield’s 115.7 score final season was barely higher than Thompson’s 116.1. Neither is great, although Klay tends to carry his personal towards larger gamers.
Then there’s the truth that Hield has performed the utmost 246 video games over the previous three seasons – together with 84 between Indy and Philly final season. He’s not but on the “load administration” stage.
The Warriors have been getting ready for the potential for Thompson leaving since final summer time, when he rejected their supply for a two-year contract extension at $48 million. They went via a maze of metrics, formulating Plans from A to Z.
Looking for an out there huge guard able to offering the capturing and spacing Klay has for greater than a decade, there weren’t many enticing choices. Two of the 5 guys with extra triples than Thompson (Ray Allen, Reggie Miller) are retired, two others (James Harden, Damian Lillard) are on different payrolls, and the fifth is Golden State’s level guard.
Of these whose worth projected above minimal wage, nobody was clearly higher than Hield. Eric Gordon was an unrestricted free agent, however he’s 4 years older than Hield and rapidly dedicated to the 76ers.
So, the Warriors settled on Hield. He’ll make $8.7 million within the first season of a $37.4 million contract that’s nearly $6 million lower than the $43.2 million Thompson made in his last season with the Warriors.
Thompson is the one huge offseason loss for the Warriors. They responded by including Kyle Anderson, De’Anthony Melton and Hield. Like Klay, Buddy might be streaky however has the items for occurring spectacular scoring runs.
For a entrance workplace that entered summer time with the purpose of buying Paul George, this represents a pleasant Plan C (Hield), D (Melton) and E (Anderson).
Because the NBA signing moratorium ends Saturday at 9:01 a.m., the Warriors are one star, Plan B, away from making a exceptional restoration.
Obtain and comply with the Dubs Speak Podcast