The Golden State Warriors are on a five-game losing streak. Their strong start to the season is cosigned to memory. Part of the team’s struggles has been a lack of offense outside Steph Curry. Klay Thompson has struggled to fulfill his role as a secondary scorer for his team, specifically in terms of knocking down his perimeter shots.
The former All-Star is currently shooting 32.9% from 3-point range, almost 10% lower than his career average. He’s also providing just 13.8 points per game. As such, Stephen A. Smith believes Thompson’s ability to help the Warriors win a championship should be in question. The ESPN analyst isn’t sure how Thompson will help his team win a championship if he’s unable to convert his perimeter shots.
“Somebody has to put Klay Thompson on notice,” Smith said. “My brother, you look like you have slipped tremendously…If Klay Thompson isn’t shooting the ball at an elite level, what use is there for him any longer? I’m talking about championship expectations. He’ll always have a place on the team. He’s a leader. He’s a great player. A future Hall of Famer. But, the Klay Thompson we’re seeing right now, I don’t recognize him.”
The Warriors are 13 games into the 2023-24 season. They have multiple players dealing with a slow start. Thompson is more than capable of snapping out his shooting slump and reminding everybody of his elite shot-making capabilities.
"Somebody has to put Klay Thompson on notice. … If Klay Thompson isn't shooting the ball at an elite level, what use is there for him any longer?"
—@stephenasmith pic.twitter.com/QHvpvOZAyC
— First Take (@FirstTake) November 16, 2023
Despite Thompson’s scoring troubles, he has remained a valuable member of the rotation, playing good defense and stretching opposing defenses with his scoring gravity and movement. Once his shot starts to fall, he will quickly re-establish himself as one of the most important players on the Warriors roster.
