Golden State Warriors' Klay Thompson says ‘brothers fight’ and they’ll ‘move past it’
Klay Thompson shared his thoughts on Draymond Green and Jordan Poole's altercation on Tuesday night. The Golden State Warriors celebrated their ring night with a 123-109 win over the LA Lakers.
Coach Steve Kerr mentioned that the altercation was one of the toughest situations the Warriors had seen during his tenure. There were questions about their ability to move on from the incident. The Dubs, however, seem to have handled the saga well.
Green didn't get suspended, and Poole reportedly supported that decision. After the Warriors' blowout win over LA, Thompson sat down with TNT's "Inside the NBA" crew and spoke about the incident:
"Dray [Draymond] had to get our trust back, and he was very willing to do so. ... Without Draymond, we're not the Warriors. Without JP, we're not the Warriors. JP's our future. Dray's a legend. He gonna have a statue outside one day."
Thompson added:
"Brothers fight. We spend more time with each other than our families, which is just the reality, and we butt head sometimes, we move past it."
The Golden State Warriors' roster chemistry has been crucial to their four championships in the past eight years. The decision not to suspend Green seems ideal now, considering how cohesive the Dubs looked in their opening game of the season.
Green and Poole are integral to their hopes of defending their title. Getting them back on the same page at the earliest could benefit the Warriors' pursuit of a second consecutive championship.
"Without Draymond we're not the Warriors and without JP we're not the Warriors."
Klay speaks on Draymond and Jordan being an integral part of GSW 💙 https://t.co/h8htMd9W6P
Golden State Warriors' emphatic win over LA Lakers will shut down the questions surrounding their roster chemistry
The Golden State Warriors were one of the early favorites to win the NBA championship. However, Draymond Green's altercation with Jordan Poole generated doubts about their chances among the naysayers.
Despite the Warriors handling the situation and deciding against suspending Green, it was one of the most trending topics for the media. Jordan Poole's four-year, $140 million extension also contributed to the questions raised over the team's chemistry.
Draymond Green is also extension eligible but has a player option worth $27.5 million next season. Analysts believe the Warriors showed Green that they are relying on youth moving forward. He was reportedly aiming to sign a max contract, but that seems unlikely.
The Warriors' salary and luxury tax bill could be upwards of $480 million next season.
Green will likely have to take a pay cut. Questions are being raised if he will remain a Warrior for long and if he is 100% motivated for this season. However, the Dubs' blowout win over the LA Lakers should shut down the critics.
Draymond Green looked in great spirits. He also combined well with Jordan Poole on the court. Green put in a solid shift as the team's backbone yet again, playing selfless basketball and conducting plays on both ends of the court. Green had four points, five assists and five rebounds. Poole chipped in with 12 points and seven assists.
The Golden State Warriors played like defending champions through and through. And they certainly looked like the team to beat again, shutting down their doubters in style.