MIAMI — Klay Thompson could have pouted when the Warriors removed him from the starting lineup. He could’ve taken it on himself to jack more shots in an effort to prove himself worthy. He could’ve checked out mentally.
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But Thompson, who carries his emotions as openly as anyone in the NBA, didn’t complain. He never looked at the move as a “demotion.” Instead of letting the team’s decision take him out of his game, he doubled down on what has made him a future Hall of Famer.
“I just try to keep the same approach,” Thompson said after Golden State’s win over Miami. “Have fun, communicate, take great looks. Those three things.”
Steve Kerr re-inserted Thompson into the starting lineup against the Heat for more spacing against a Miami team that likes to play a variety of zone defenses. Back in the familiar role, going through pregame introductions and playing next to Steph Curry from the tip-off, Thompson dropped a game-high 28 points and hit six of 14 shots from behind the arc.
“It’s a credit to him, just in general, being able to respond to whatever he’s been asked to do this year,” Curry said. “Whether it’s coming off the bench or starting. Most people think, maybe they think it’s easy to transition from one to the other. It’s not. You have to prepare your mind and your body to be ready for whatever’s thrown at you. So it’s a credit to him, his attitude and preparation.”
Coming off the bench or starting, Thompson has been a reliable tertiary scorer for Golden State. He’s no longer prone to absolute bonanza scoring nights, but is still capable of giving the Warriors 30 on a given night. He still scares defenses into scrambling to him off the catch. He’s still a frequent option for Kerr in out-of-timeout set plays.
Kerr made the concerted decision to bring Thompson off the bench right before the All-Star break in order to give the five-time All-Star time to process and decompress the sudden change. Before that Feb. 15 contest, he’d started every game since his rookie year — a span of 808 consecutive games. He reportedly didn’t take the news well and has had to grapple with his basketball mortality, but didn’t grumble publicly.
In his first game off the bench, Thompson poured in 35 points against Utah, which remains his season-high. If there were concerns about how he’d handle the role change, that performance was as encouraging a sign as possible.
More often, Thompson has been the focal point of Golden State’s unit. He’s spaced the floor for Chris Paul and Trayce Jackson-Davis to run high pick-and-rolls. The Warriors run actions for him. Meanwhile, rookie Brandin Podziemski helped connect the starting unit with his quick decision-making and team defense.
Thompson still played a starter’s level of minutes and closed most tight games. Podziemski — along with Draymond Green playing center almost exclusively — set Golden State’s rotation into place. It was a win-win.
The Miami starting lineup might not be a permanent move. At the very least, the Warriors have the choice of bringing Thompson off the bench if a certain matchup dictates it. That’s a tool Golden State hasn’t had until this year.
In March, Thompson is averaging 18.7 points per game and has hit 50 3-pointers while shooting 40.9% from deep. He has started five of the 13 games. He’s in rhythm and said he feels “really good.” He has broken out the shoulder shimmy on a couple of made 3-pointers over the past week, including Tuesday night against Miami.
Thompson trails only Curry and Luka Doncic for games with at least six made 3-pointers (10).
Curry thinks there’s no other player of Thompson’s stature that could have handled the fluid role as smoothly as the four-time champion shooting guard has. He refused to let it become a distraction. He prevented the situation from going sideways.
“He’s given us a huge boost in whatever role he’s played,” Curry said. “It’s a challenge. It could’ve gone the other way in the sense of resisting the evolution of what he’s been asked to do this year. He’s responded extremely well. We need that energy, because he gives us so much on that front, like he did tonight.”
No matter how far the Warriors go this season, they’ll have to make a decision on Thompson, who’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Steph Curry is under contract through 2025-26. Kerr got extended to align with that. Same with Draymond Green, whose extension includes a player option for 2026-27.
Those three and Thompson are the four constants through the Warriors’ dynasty. Thompson, who reportedly rejected a two-year extension, has expressed a desire to retire with the only organization he’s played for.
There will be questions about the Warriors’ luxury tax bill, Thompson’s value and how much loyalty a team should exercise with a star who has helped build a dynasty.
The way Thompson has navigated this season should answer at least some of them.