The Golden State Warriors came into the 2022-23 NBA season looking to defend last year’s title run.
So far, the team has struggled to do so.
The Warriors have been weak on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Numerous stars, including Klay Thompson, are playing at the worst levels of their careers.
As a result, many have started to wonder if perhaps it would make more sense to have Jordan Poole starting in Thompson’s place in the starting lineup.
This week Kerr appeared on the Damon & Ratto show on 95.7 The Game and revealed whether he had any intention to bench Thompson in the foreseeable future.
“No, that’s not something I’ve given any thought to. Jordan and Klay are very different players,” he said
“Jordan’s more on the ball, Klay’s off the ball. When Steph is off the floor, we absolutely have to have Jordan on the floor. Doesn’t mean we can’t change combinations and rotations to get certain guys on the court together but Klay is a starter.
“That 5-man unit is the best in the league. Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me to break up that unit.”
What is particularly interesting about this dynamic is that Thompson felt it coming. He felt it coming in the offseason.
You will recall, Kerr previously tipped his hand about some of the friction that existed between Thompson and Poole, namely stemming from how the former was conducting himself.
Thompson could sense that Poole was coming for his crown.
And that was before the Draymond Green altercation.
The video speaks for itself. Jokic is an MVP on and off the court. https://t.co/7MmyhGX8nG
— Game 7 (@game7__) November 11, 2022
It will be interesting to see where the Warriors go from here.
Will Thompson prove Kerr right and improve his play? Or will his decline force the Warriors coach to do what he doesn’t want to, and replace him in the starting lineup with Poole?
Time will tell.
Related: Adam Silver On Whether Nets’ Kyrie Irving Is Antisemitic
Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
