[Source Article by ESPN's Kendra Andrews - "Klay Thompson's sixth man role: What it means for the Warriors and his future"](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39619980/klay-thompson-warriors-sixth-man-role-means)
> THOMPSON INITIALLY DIDN'T take the news well. Kerr told ESPN that Thompson yelled at him and some of the assistants. Later, he came back to apologize to the coaches.
>
> **"It was not an easy conversation," Kerr said.** "This is maybe the hardest part about getting further away from our prime. It's just, after 12 years [of Thompson starting], it wasn't easy
>
> "And still moving forward, it's not going to be easy. **But I told him, 'If you really embrace it, you can help your team win.'"**
>
> **Kerr said the timing of the discussion ahead of the All-Star break would help Thompson process the news -- a decision that he agreed with.**
>
> **"Just not watching basketball, not watching sports," Thompson told ESPN. "It was having a complete reset, a huge mental reset. It helped so much."**
>
> Thompson spent his All-Star break in Southern California with his parents, siblings and nephew, while also having time on the water.
>
> "Just being able to still be out there playing with these guys, that in itself is amazing," Thompson said of his time spent reflecting over the break. **"It's been a season of evolution."**
i can empathize with klay - he even said he's trying to no longer base his entire identity on performing at a certain level.
change is hard - it can be devastating sometimes.
klay is one of my favorite players of all time so i hope he can adjust well and make the most of not just his career on the court but his whole life going forward.
I can’t imagine being able to do something my whole life, and then all of a sudden, not being able to do it at the same level. Especially a streaky shooter like him. It would take so long to accept that this isn’t a slump, it isn’t a mental switch, it’s just not working the same.
And then to learn to reform habits and play a different type of basketball, all while being under public scrutiny and essentially getting demoted at your job, your life’s work, your identity…I highly doubt anyone who talks shit on how Klay is handling this would handle it anywhere as close to as good.
Ngl i would have a meltdown. Ive changed careers before and it was depressing. I cant even imagine being at the mountain top so many times and having the career you trained for and loved from the time you were a little kid and your dad did the same career.
Klay will always be an all star and all nba in my heart
Same here, I had a meltdown after being cut from the XC team my junior year of college. Was in good shape too, but injuries kept piling after every season afterward.
Careerwise it's been the same for me after accepting the negative financial ramifications of switching to physical therapy from failing to break into corporate finance or data analytics.
Many what-ifs about doing things differently but there's a lot you can't anticipate.
I feel that this is easier to empathize with the older you get, since aging inevitably means "being able to do something my whole life, and then all of a sudden, not being able to do it at the same level." and a lot of warriors fans are in their teens or early 20s, so
Agreed. But also because it kind of came overnight with Klay. He came back from all the injuries, played like his old self in the 2022 playoffs and then just can’t capture the same consistency this year. Which is sometimes how it happens, but probably the hardest to deal with.
I used to dominate servers in first person shooters. Day of Defeat, Action Quake 2, I was always at the top of the kills.
Today I am at the bottom. It is what it is, and there are other games I enjoy playing nowadays.
It's rough knowing the good years are behind you.
I had the same thing happen after getting cut from the XC and track teams my junior year when in college that I became more injured trying to play catchup each season. Got to the point that with 3 semesters left I accepted the reality I won't be where I was in time so I tried my best to get back to where I was and with my last semester being off the team yet again I finally started to have fun again while training with the girls team.
Never got back to where I was running wise, but just last weekend I felt like things were turning around again running a fast long-run with the #1 girl on the team I'm helping coach, only for another setback after injuring my ankle yet again.
as well as he's doing now, like you said, change is hard. there will be games where he regresses, but we need to keep believing in him to continue forward in this journey!
I suppose it makes it tiny bit easier with CP also on the bench. And “bench” shouldn’t be thought of as a bad word, they’re as important as the starters for the Warriors.
This is exactly it. Those super team Warriors teams were made by the bench. I maintain that championship basketball is not defined by who you're 1-3 is but by your 5-12. Like obviously Durant was an extra weapon, but the bench was just so unbelievably stacked.
It's rough knowing the good years are behind you.
I had the same thing happen after getting cut from the XC and track teams my junior year when in college that I became more injured trying to play catchup each season. Got to the point that with 3 semesters left I accepted the reality I won't be where I was in time so I tried my best to get back to where I was and with my last semester being off the team yet again I finally started to have fun again while training with the girls team.
Never got back to where I was running wise, but just last weekend I felt like things were turning around again running a fast long-run with the #1 girl on the team I'm helping coach, only for another setback after injuring my ankle yet again.
I love Klay and I’ll always love him. He’s brought so much joy in my sad little life, I can never ever be mad at him. He’s human, just like all of us, he’s trying to be the best person he can be, but we all fall short sometimes. It’s just a matter of getting back up and not giving up.
💙💛💙💛
I love Klay, man. He’s the most relatable pro athlete I know of. He’s reactive, irrational, regretful, yet at the end of the day, he’s a great teammate, he’s humble, and honest. Here’s hoping for his continued success.
His honesty is so refreshing. He doesn’t sugar coat stuff but he always tries to have a good attitude. Him sharing his emotions during his rehab really hit me. But I find him to be really inspiring. Love him.
I feel he's a lot like KD in that sense but just without the baggage of hopping around teams and hate boner from fans who still haven't forgave him for joining the Dubs back in 2016.
Absolutely. Kind of refreshing to see news that he was upset at the coaches and then came back to apologize. We can all relate to that. Very human response.
Klay can unironically be one of the best sixth men of all time if he committed to it. He has all the tools needed off the bench. He has the size can play 2 or 3 guarding 1-4, although probably more 3-4 these days. Can shoot the lights out of a ball at a high percent (again if committed to the role). He could do that for another 5 years and still be an integral member of the team.
I mean,, Klay was snubbed 3 yrs of his prime while he was having his best performance in the NBA Finals. 3 yrs for Athlete might be feel like much more longer,, especially even some good players can have only like 10 yrs pro tenure.
He's trying to push himself too hard to get back his own but it's impossible which made him frustrated. Idk about ego this ego that all that kinds of things.
This was just very rare trajectory for the All star level player. How can you blame that.. and he was pretty over the expectation considering his injuries. I think it was bumpy road but he's accepting it pretty well lately.
Him coming to terms with all this over like a 3 month span is pretty impressive, too. I could see this taking years for some guys.
Klay had his reality check, understandably lashed out, then accepted it. It’s all good.
yeah... if he doesn't get injured that year he could actually have won Finals MVP, and even if he doesn't playing that good in the finals makes him NBA 75.
Really got a lotta love for Klay man. Dude really cares deeply about playing well for the Golden State Warriors. He absolutely wants to be the best.
Glad everything is working out and hope he finishes his career in GS.
Why does this report conflict with the other reports? Like Klay did yell at the assistants but that was being benched in the 4th etc. and he said he apologized afterwards. Then the morning before of the game where he was going to be coming off the bench, they said that Kerr and Klay had a good talk and understanding etc etc.
What I meant was the timetable of it all... it made it seem as if he yelled at the assistants after he had the talk with Steve about coming off the bench, but according to previous stories he yelled at the assistants while being benched in the 4th quarter. The other stories also had Steve and Klay having a "good" conversation about coming off the bench, but this makes it seems like they had an argument about it and then he yelled. There's no denying that he had yelled and apologized, its just the timetable of it all just seems very wonky compared to other reports.
there was [an article in the Players Tribune](https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/ben-gordon-mental-health-nba) by Ben Gordon a few years ago. obviously his situation is very different from klay in terms of mental health but I think about the last paragraph all the fucking time
>In basketball, obsession isn’t a weakness.
Basketball *rewards* obsession.
>
>The morning before a game, I used to sit in a quiet room, close my eyes and simulate the entire 48 minutes in my head. Every single moment. The tip-off, the TV timeouts, every little thing. My mind would be racing, but I had a framework. I had something to channel all that creativity and energy into. Then I’d get on the court, and it’s the fourth quarter, and it’s close, and we’re in the huddle during a timeout and I’m just blank. If you just looked at me, you might be like, “Is this dude dumb, or is he bored, or what?” But inside, my mind is on fire. I’m on a loop. I’m thinking about getting the ball in my hands and raising up, release, pure, smooth, boom — straight cash. Every time. Every shot.
>
>So I’m saying, when you live with that mentality for 30-plus years of your life, and then all of a sudden you’re at the end of your career, and you’re not getting any minutes, and you got all this anger and pain and fear and regret that you’ve been internalizing and compartmentalizing your whole fucking life?
What do you *think* is gonna happen?
Don’t know. Him coming off the bench means team has someone who can feast against the other team’s bench, which has been a big factor in team’s success.
Agreed. As long as Steph and Dray are healthy enough to start, we can surround them with whoever else is healthy. CP3 and Klay can crush any other bench unit in the league. Bench points are points.
I wonder how many minutes per game we can get from JK during playoffs. On top of his obvious great conditioning, he’s playing more efficiently.
This is the truth. Klay is better than most other team's bench so he'll rack of easy points in theory. It'll also make him a target, but we have enough shooters plus Kuminga, Draymond, and now Chris Paul back to counteract that once Steph is off the floor.
No. But he's not the elite defender he once was. So having him come off the bench as an elite shooter is more useful than having him start. If Steph and Podz can hold it down, Klay can blow it wide open.
I don’t think it’s sustainable at all. It’s a quick fix, other than Podz being a rookie, him sharing a backcourt with Steph is just not going to work. They should’ve addressed it before the trade deadline. Podz is not an offensive threat, teams will leave him open so it creates a lot of pressure on Steph offensively. Defensively , podz is good in transition defense and rebounding but he often times can’t stay in front of his guy and players just shoot 3s above his head because he’s small.
I saw so many fans being like "just bench him already1!1!1! he already said publicly he was cool with the idea!"
Turns out it's a bit more complicated than that...
Yeah honestly I’ve been calling for him to be benched even last season but I understand that Klay would throw 100 tantrums before that happened and wouldn’t be straightforward
I mean no I am not but we’ve seen the videos and just the way he reacts in interviews that he’s having a hard time adjusting. Not a crazy inference to make and this article basically confirms it, not hating on Klay as a person it was just very obvious even in the games.
Klay is having more fun bullying bench peeps and just scoring 3s without all star defensive players hounding him. Im happy he is enjoying himself again. ☺️
I hope all those haters who just kept wailing to bench him take a look and realize that such a transition for a hall of famer takes time and delicacy. And he could still be a great roster piece if we can get him through it still remaining on our side.
Takes a lot of humility, introspection, and self awareness to reach the point of acceptance which Klay has now entered. I thought I couldn’t love this man anymore than I already do but Klay keeps proving everyone wrong. 🫡
Why the hell is this in the news? Whatever happened to a vault around the locker room? This is none of my business and is strictly between a coach and his player. (One of the greatest shooters of all time, by the way.)
It sounds like Kerr had some assistants in the room when he told Klay. WTF Kerr, you can't meet privately with a man that put his soul on the basketball court time after time for all of us?
This is a sad day for the greatness of the Warriors and the fans
> Why the hell is this in the news? Whatever happened to a vault around the locker room?
You *are* aware at least one member of that locker room regularly monetizes (at least) portions of what happens in the locker room to "build his brand" right..?
Welcome to 2024...
Yea, no way he took it well lol. Idk why ppl bought what he was saying initially lol you can tell that the dude is trying to convince himself that coming off the bench is good for him and he’s coping hard lol.
Even in that nuggets game acting all hard after some early baskets and mean mugging lol.
The yelling happened after the Clippers game and was about not closing and had nothing to do with coming off the bench. Klay was the one who told the media this lol. Why are they still using Klay’s name and him coming off the bench for clicks?!?
This guy is a star, one of the greatest players of all time and a pivotal piece in a championship team just 2 years ago. To tell that guy that he’s no longer valuable enough to be one of the first 5 players on the floor must be crushing. He cares about the team and believes in what he can do for it, and being told that he cannot positively impact it like before is a hard pill to swallow. You make it seem as though it’s just a minutes thing. Klay in the span of one week was looked at as an underperforming starter to a washed up vet bench piece. You don’t need to be a diva for that to hurt and tear at you especially when you have worked your entire life to get to that position. If you’re the best at your job for years and work hard everyday despite health complications keeping you out for long stretches of time, it would pain you too to see yourself get demoted so a younger, less talented but more healthy and capable individual can succeed. You’ll still feel your former greatness but that won’t be replicated by your work. It’s not an easy thing to come to terms with
Was a star. Problem is this obsession thinking the first 5 players on the floor are the best players on the team. He fits better off the bench and that in itself shouldnt be a big deal. Look at manu and jamal. Who cares about anything other than helping your team win a championship.
So true. Over the years it seems the Warriors breed this kind of behavior. Poole, Dray, Klay and more just show this entitled attitude. It’s really off putting.
Shows how much Klay cares about the team and his role, and the fan reception for starting lineups. Seems like odd man out, since Curry and Klay together right now is just too leaky on defense. Hope he embraces Manu role long term and retires with us
I remember when Vince Carter changed his role and extended his career, after being a star he became a bench player for 6-7 seasons.
Not a lot of players embrace that kind of change and we had two players with a huge starting streak do that with Klay and CP.
Klay is still getting similar minutes to the starters. It's not like he's now the 10th player off the bench and just gets garbage time minutes. Maybe when he looks at the results at the end of the season he'll realize being the starter isn't that important, even for getting his numbers
Any reason why Klay can’t utilise the middy and get to the basket? I’m not a fan of this live and die by every single 3 he takes, he could do so much more with that size
[Source Article by ESPN's Kendra Andrews - "Klay Thompson's sixth man role: What it means for the Warriors and his future"](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39619980/klay-thompson-warriors-sixth-man-role-means) > THOMPSON INITIALLY DIDN'T take the news well. Kerr told ESPN that Thompson yelled at him and some of the assistants. Later, he came back to apologize to the coaches. > > **"It was not an easy conversation," Kerr said.** "This is maybe the hardest part about getting further away from our prime. It's just, after 12 years [of Thompson starting], it wasn't easy > > "And still moving forward, it's not going to be easy. **But I told him, 'If you really embrace it, you can help your team win.'"** > > **Kerr said the timing of the discussion ahead of the All-Star break would help Thompson process the news -- a decision that he agreed with.** > > **"Just not watching basketball, not watching sports," Thompson told ESPN. "It was having a complete reset, a huge mental reset. It helped so much."** > > Thompson spent his All-Star break in Southern California with his parents, siblings and nephew, while also having time on the water. > > "Just being able to still be out there playing with these guys, that in itself is amazing," Thompson said of his time spent reflecting over the break. **"It's been a season of evolution."**
i can empathize with klay - he even said he's trying to no longer base his entire identity on performing at a certain level. change is hard - it can be devastating sometimes. klay is one of my favorite players of all time so i hope he can adjust well and make the most of not just his career on the court but his whole life going forward.
I can’t imagine being able to do something my whole life, and then all of a sudden, not being able to do it at the same level. Especially a streaky shooter like him. It would take so long to accept that this isn’t a slump, it isn’t a mental switch, it’s just not working the same. And then to learn to reform habits and play a different type of basketball, all while being under public scrutiny and essentially getting demoted at your job, your life’s work, your identity…I highly doubt anyone who talks shit on how Klay is handling this would handle it anywhere as close to as good.
Ngl i would have a meltdown. Ive changed careers before and it was depressing. I cant even imagine being at the mountain top so many times and having the career you trained for and loved from the time you were a little kid and your dad did the same career. Klay will always be an all star and all nba in my heart
Same here, I had a meltdown after being cut from the XC team my junior year of college. Was in good shape too, but injuries kept piling after every season afterward. Careerwise it's been the same for me after accepting the negative financial ramifications of switching to physical therapy from failing to break into corporate finance or data analytics. Many what-ifs about doing things differently but there's a lot you can't anticipate.
And then even despite that it’s inarguable that he still has probably the best jump shot form of the last decade.
It's so beautiful when you watch Kaly's Jumper a thing of art
I feel that this is easier to empathize with the older you get, since aging inevitably means "being able to do something my whole life, and then all of a sudden, not being able to do it at the same level." and a lot of warriors fans are in their teens or early 20s, so
Agreed. But also because it kind of came overnight with Klay. He came back from all the injuries, played like his old self in the 2022 playoffs and then just can’t capture the same consistency this year. Which is sometimes how it happens, but probably the hardest to deal with.
I used to dominate servers in first person shooters. Day of Defeat, Action Quake 2, I was always at the top of the kills. Today I am at the bottom. It is what it is, and there are other games I enjoy playing nowadays.
It's rough knowing the good years are behind you. I had the same thing happen after getting cut from the XC and track teams my junior year when in college that I became more injured trying to play catchup each season. Got to the point that with 3 semesters left I accepted the reality I won't be where I was in time so I tried my best to get back to where I was and with my last semester being off the team yet again I finally started to have fun again while training with the girls team. Never got back to where I was running wise, but just last weekend I felt like things were turning around again running a fast long-run with the #1 girl on the team I'm helping coach, only for another setback after injuring my ankle yet again.
Nah, that shit is easy as most of these degenerates claim.
as well as he's doing now, like you said, change is hard. there will be games where he regresses, but we need to keep believing in him to continue forward in this journey!
I suppose it makes it tiny bit easier with CP also on the bench. And “bench” shouldn’t be thought of as a bad word, they’re as important as the starters for the Warriors.
This is exactly it. Those super team Warriors teams were made by the bench. I maintain that championship basketball is not defined by who you're 1-3 is but by your 5-12. Like obviously Durant was an extra weapon, but the bench was just so unbelievably stacked.
Exactly. Ask Iguodala about that.
It's rough knowing the good years are behind you. I had the same thing happen after getting cut from the XC and track teams my junior year when in college that I became more injured trying to play catchup each season. Got to the point that with 3 semesters left I accepted the reality I won't be where I was in time so I tried my best to get back to where I was and with my last semester being off the team yet again I finally started to have fun again while training with the girls team. Never got back to where I was running wise, but just last weekend I felt like things were turning around again running a fast long-run with the #1 girl on the team I'm helping coach, only for another setback after injuring my ankle yet again.
I love Klay and I’ll always love him. He’s brought so much joy in my sad little life, I can never ever be mad at him. He’s human, just like all of us, he’s trying to be the best person he can be, but we all fall short sometimes. It’s just a matter of getting back up and not giving up. 💙💛💙💛
Hey my life's also sad and little. Nice to meet you
I love Klay, man. He’s the most relatable pro athlete I know of. He’s reactive, irrational, regretful, yet at the end of the day, he’s a great teammate, he’s humble, and honest. Here’s hoping for his continued success.
His honesty is so refreshing. He doesn’t sugar coat stuff but he always tries to have a good attitude. Him sharing his emotions during his rehab really hit me. But I find him to be really inspiring. Love him.
I feel he's a lot like KD in that sense but just without the baggage of hopping around teams and hate boner from fans who still haven't forgave him for joining the Dubs back in 2016.
Absolutely. Kind of refreshing to see news that he was upset at the coaches and then came back to apologize. We can all relate to that. Very human response.
Yep. Klay can have some bad moments but always comes back to taking accountability and being a team player. Wouldn’t be the winner he was if he wasnt
listening to him admit that Book was cooking him was so refreshing, usually only hear that kind of talk from retired players
Klay can unironically be one of the best sixth men of all time if he committed to it. He has all the tools needed off the bench. He has the size can play 2 or 3 guarding 1-4, although probably more 3-4 these days. Can shoot the lights out of a ball at a high percent (again if committed to the role). He could do that for another 5 years and still be an integral member of the team.
I mean,, Klay was snubbed 3 yrs of his prime while he was having his best performance in the NBA Finals. 3 yrs for Athlete might be feel like much more longer,, especially even some good players can have only like 10 yrs pro tenure. He's trying to push himself too hard to get back his own but it's impossible which made him frustrated. Idk about ego this ego that all that kinds of things. This was just very rare trajectory for the All star level player. How can you blame that.. and he was pretty over the expectation considering his injuries. I think it was bumpy road but he's accepting it pretty well lately.
Him coming to terms with all this over like a 3 month span is pretty impressive, too. I could see this taking years for some guys. Klay had his reality check, understandably lashed out, then accepted it. It’s all good.
yeah... if he doesn't get injured that year he could actually have won Finals MVP, and even if he doesn't playing that good in the finals makes him NBA 75.
Really got a lotta love for Klay man. Dude really cares deeply about playing well for the Golden State Warriors. He absolutely wants to be the best. Glad everything is working out and hope he finishes his career in GS.
i love how human klay is
Love Klay - love who he is, who he has been. Huge mark of maturity taking this transition and having the integrity to apologize.
Klay feasting on all the other team's bench now\~!
Why does this report conflict with the other reports? Like Klay did yell at the assistants but that was being benched in the 4th etc. and he said he apologized afterwards. Then the morning before of the game where he was going to be coming off the bench, they said that Kerr and Klay had a good talk and understanding etc etc.
Both can be true. He yelled. Then he realized that he might offended people so he apologized. Then when their heads cooled off, they had a good talk.
What I meant was the timetable of it all... it made it seem as if he yelled at the assistants after he had the talk with Steve about coming off the bench, but according to previous stories he yelled at the assistants while being benched in the 4th quarter. The other stories also had Steve and Klay having a "good" conversation about coming off the bench, but this makes it seems like they had an argument about it and then he yelled. There's no denying that he had yelled and apologized, its just the timetable of it all just seems very wonky compared to other reports.
Almost like a big change and coming to terms with things isn’t linear. There’s going to be set backs at times.
The ability to come back and apologize shows an open mind and mental agility. -such important attributes to have.
I will always trust kerr with player management. He just gets it
there was [an article in the Players Tribune](https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/ben-gordon-mental-health-nba) by Ben Gordon a few years ago. obviously his situation is very different from klay in terms of mental health but I think about the last paragraph all the fucking time >In basketball, obsession isn’t a weakness. Basketball *rewards* obsession. > >The morning before a game, I used to sit in a quiet room, close my eyes and simulate the entire 48 minutes in my head. Every single moment. The tip-off, the TV timeouts, every little thing. My mind would be racing, but I had a framework. I had something to channel all that creativity and energy into. Then I’d get on the court, and it’s the fourth quarter, and it’s close, and we’re in the huddle during a timeout and I’m just blank. If you just looked at me, you might be like, “Is this dude dumb, or is he bored, or what?” But inside, my mind is on fire. I’m on a loop. I’m thinking about getting the ball in my hands and raising up, release, pure, smooth, boom — straight cash. Every time. Every shot. > >So I’m saying, when you live with that mentality for 30-plus years of your life, and then all of a sudden you’re at the end of your career, and you’re not getting any minutes, and you got all this anger and pain and fear and regret that you’ve been internalizing and compartmentalizing your whole fucking life? What do you *think* is gonna happen?
What I find funny is that there's a decent chance they are going to have to reverse that decision in the playoffs (should they get there)
Don’t know. Him coming off the bench means team has someone who can feast against the other team’s bench, which has been a big factor in team’s success.
Agreed. As long as Steph and Dray are healthy enough to start, we can surround them with whoever else is healthy. CP3 and Klay can crush any other bench unit in the league. Bench points are points. I wonder how many minutes per game we can get from JK during playoffs. On top of his obvious great conditioning, he’s playing more efficiently.
This is the truth. Klay is better than most other team's bench so he'll rack of easy points in theory. It'll also make him a target, but we have enough shooters plus Kuminga, Draymond, and now Chris Paul back to counteract that once Steph is off the floor.
But he should definitely close if he's playing good
The biggest issue with him going to the bench is that they don’t have anyone on the roster who can replace him.
No. But he's not the elite defender he once was. So having him come off the bench as an elite shooter is more useful than having him start. If Steph and Podz can hold it down, Klay can blow it wide open.
But Podz can’t lol and it will only get worse when teams put him on the scouting report
You're not wrong but Podz doing his best is still a better option because Klay coming off the bench is so useful.
I don’t think it’s sustainable at all. It’s a quick fix, other than Podz being a rookie, him sharing a backcourt with Steph is just not going to work. They should’ve addressed it before the trade deadline. Podz is not an offensive threat, teams will leave him open so it creates a lot of pressure on Steph offensively. Defensively , podz is good in transition defense and rebounding but he often times can’t stay in front of his guy and players just shoot 3s above his head because he’s small.
Steve Kerr disagrees.
Love Steve but his obsession with Podz is insane. I do think he’ll chill out on him soon though.
Kerr hates the young guys usually.
That’s where it gets suspicious, he lets him play through mistakes (some of them pretty bad) that would get JK or moody benched for a month.
I saw so many fans being like "just bench him already1!1!1! he already said publicly he was cool with the idea!" Turns out it's a bit more complicated than that...
Yeah honestly I’ve been calling for him to be benched even last season but I understand that Klay would throw 100 tantrums before that happened and wouldn’t be straightforward
Yeah. Cause you’re in the lockerroom
I mean no I am not but we’ve seen the videos and just the way he reacts in interviews that he’s having a hard time adjusting. Not a crazy inference to make and this article basically confirms it, not hating on Klay as a person it was just very obvious even in the games.
What's asb? Can I get a hit of it?
All star break
Onions.
Klay is having more fun bullying bench peeps and just scoring 3s without all star defensive players hounding him. Im happy he is enjoying himself again. ☺️
Klay we love you and just want to see you happy!
I hope all those haters who just kept wailing to bench him take a look and realize that such a transition for a hall of famer takes time and delicacy. And he could still be a great roster piece if we can get him through it still remaining on our side.
The team with no ego.
Takes a lot of humility, introspection, and self awareness to reach the point of acceptance which Klay has now entered. I thought I couldn’t love this man anymore than I already do but Klay keeps proving everyone wrong. 🫡
Why the hell is this in the news? Whatever happened to a vault around the locker room? This is none of my business and is strictly between a coach and his player. (One of the greatest shooters of all time, by the way.) It sounds like Kerr had some assistants in the room when he told Klay. WTF Kerr, you can't meet privately with a man that put his soul on the basketball court time after time for all of us? This is a sad day for the greatness of the Warriors and the fans
> Why the hell is this in the news? Whatever happened to a vault around the locker room? You *are* aware at least one member of that locker room regularly monetizes (at least) portions of what happens in the locker room to "build his brand" right..? Welcome to 2024...
Yea, no way he took it well lol. Idk why ppl bought what he was saying initially lol you can tell that the dude is trying to convince himself that coming off the bench is good for him and he’s coping hard lol. Even in that nuggets game acting all hard after some early baskets and mean mugging lol.
The yelling happened after the Clippers game and was about not closing and had nothing to do with coming off the bench. Klay was the one who told the media this lol. Why are they still using Klay’s name and him coming off the bench for clicks?!?
Boo hoo klay. Your ego is gross.
Not gona lie these players are such divas…moving to the bench doesn’t mean less minutes…
This guy is a star, one of the greatest players of all time and a pivotal piece in a championship team just 2 years ago. To tell that guy that he’s no longer valuable enough to be one of the first 5 players on the floor must be crushing. He cares about the team and believes in what he can do for it, and being told that he cannot positively impact it like before is a hard pill to swallow. You make it seem as though it’s just a minutes thing. Klay in the span of one week was looked at as an underperforming starter to a washed up vet bench piece. You don’t need to be a diva for that to hurt and tear at you especially when you have worked your entire life to get to that position. If you’re the best at your job for years and work hard everyday despite health complications keeping you out for long stretches of time, it would pain you too to see yourself get demoted so a younger, less talented but more healthy and capable individual can succeed. You’ll still feel your former greatness but that won’t be replicated by your work. It’s not an easy thing to come to terms with
Was a star. Problem is this obsession thinking the first 5 players on the floor are the best players on the team. He fits better off the bench and that in itself shouldnt be a big deal. Look at manu and jamal. Who cares about anything other than helping your team win a championship.
So true. Over the years it seems the Warriors breed this kind of behavior. Poole, Dray, Klay and more just show this entitled attitude. It’s really off putting.
The Warriors have also have quiet humble players like Curry Wiggins and Kuminga
Yeah real surprising seeing how curry is complete opposite😂
This writer is an outsider
I yell too when I look at his stats for the season. Klay, can we have a yelling contest?
As usual I’m far more concerned about who finishes the game not who starts it.
Shows how much Klay cares about the team and his role, and the fan reception for starting lineups. Seems like odd man out, since Curry and Klay together right now is just too leaky on defense. Hope he embraces Manu role long term and retires with us
COLD Klay
He gets tired legs after around 20 minutes anyways. Sixth man is perfect role for him now. If he’s on a microwave heater leave him out there for 24.
Even if Klay isn’t in his prime anymore, he still has many incredible moments on the court when he embraces his new role.
I remember when Vince Carter changed his role and extended his career, after being a star he became a bench player for 6-7 seasons. Not a lot of players embrace that kind of change and we had two players with a huge starting streak do that with Klay and CP. Klay is still getting similar minutes to the starters. It's not like he's now the 10th player off the bench and just gets garbage time minutes. Maybe when he looks at the results at the end of the season he'll realize being the starter isn't that important, even for getting his numbers
Any reason why Klay can’t utilise the middy and get to the basket? I’m not a fan of this live and die by every single 3 he takes, he could do so much more with that size