Klay Thompson on the NBA trade market, according to insider

By Tommy Chalk - The Washington Times - Monday, November 14, 2016

There may be a rumor going around that Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson may be available on the trade market.

According to former NBA player and current CSNNE Boston Celtics analyst Brian Scalabrine, murmurs are spreading around the NBA that the 26-year-old, two-time All Star is available, and one team that is interested is the Celtics.

“I heard this weekend that Klay Thompson may be available,” Scalabrine said on SiriusXM radio.

“I heard that rumor going around, and it was specifically to a team that wears green.”

That’s a very odd rumor. The Warriors are a bonafide championship contender, with four players — Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Thompson— easily among the top players in their respective positions, if not the best players in their respective positions. In fact, the trio of Curry, Durant and Thompson is arguably one of the most prolific and talented backcourts ever assembled.

But, according to Scalabrine, the only real logical mindset behind breaking up that talented trio is to get stronger under the basket. Green is one of the best defensive players in the NBA (he’s finished second in the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award each of the last two seasons), but the Warriors lack a true center. Right now, they are relying on Zaza Pachulia, who is nowhere near the talent level of the Warriors’ other starting four.

The Celtics don’t particularly make a whole lot of sense as a trade partner. Boston’s top center option is Amir Johnson, who is not of equal trade value to Thompson. So, as Scalabrine suggested, a pick would have to be moved, and that could be flipped to acquire a better center.

Scalabrine said a few teams are apparently in discussion with the Warriors for Thompson. But surely there is a better center option for Golden State where they wouldn’t have to make more than one trade to get what they want.

Still, it’s hard to imagine this blockbuster trade carrying through, and, if it does, it’s even harder to imagine the Warriors improving because of it.