Klay Thompson cannot wait to play with Chris Paul : "He'll do anything to win"
Klay Thompson will see himself paired next to a top-quality point guard in Chris Paul in the upcoming season. While the two have been rivals on many occasions in the past, Thompson seems excited to play alongside Paul.
The Golden State Warriors have made some interesting moves in the offseason. After a rather disappointing end to their campaign, the Warriors have retooled by trading Jordan Poole to the Wizards in return for Chris Paul.
The trade raised a lot of eyebrows at the time. Poole, a talented young player with star potential, was replaced by Paul, a significantly older but still effective point guard.
While many have criticized the move, both the Warriors superstars Steph Curry and Klay Thompson have had a fairly positive outlook to his arrival. Thompson in particular appears to be quite excited to get things going with CP3 on the floor.
He recently expressed his thoughts on playing alongside CP in an episode of "Podcast P with Paul George". When asked about teaming up with the former Suns star, Thompson said:
"I mean, we're lucky. That's one of the greatest players ever. He's top 75. He's elevated every franchise he ran the point for. And me as a shooter, I'm excited. I just know CP's gonna put it right here, on the seams. He's going to set me up nice. I'm going to get a couple of extra easy buckets every night and he's a winner."
"I've played against him so many times. You see how competitive he is. He'll do anything to win. That's the vibe we want."
Thompson's statement does inspire some confidence in Paul's ability to fit in with the roster. When considering the impact he had in developing young teams such as OKC and Phoenix, it will be interesting to see what he can offer to an established system such as Golden State.
Read: “I didn’t understand the Chris Paul trade”: Former Warrior DeMarcus Cousin is baffled at point god’s addition to Stephen Curry’s side
Klay Thompson's role with the Warriors this season
It goes without saying that Klay Thompson is an integral element in the Golden State Warriors' lineup. However, he will be critical to their success heading into the upcoming season.
Thompson's role in floor spacing will be particularly amplified this year. While Steph Curry continues to run free on offense, with Chris Paul also on the floor, Thompson will be required to knock down the chances he gets.
While this seems like a no-brainer, it has greater connotations for the Warriors offense. Thompson emerging as a threat draws attention away from Curry, who has defenses locked on him by simply being on the court.
Klay Thompson is a lesser factor on defense now that his athleticism and lateral quickness has dropped a bit. But he remains a key element in getting Golden State's offense going. With a contract extension also on the horizon, Thompson will likely play with a new fire.