Plan B: Beloved No. 11 is unique, but former Sun solid alternative
Wizards guard Bradley Beal and Warriors forward Draymond Green trudged toward their locker rooms as the Oracle Arena crowd roared with boos.
It was October 2017, and Beal and Green were ejected for fighting. As a replay of the 12player skirmish unfolded on the big screen, Warriors fans saw the Wizards’ Kelly Oubre Jr. hit Golden State’s Klay Thompson in the back of the head and the punch go unpunished.
Much of the booing was an impassioned defense of Thompson, with No. 11 having become one of the league’s most beloved All-Stars. Thursday morning, when news broke that Thompson suffered a seasonending torn
right Achilles tendon, Warriors fans grieved — not just because his absence likely quashes Golden State’s chances at a 202021 NBA title, but because they’ve come to view him as a friend and confidant.
Thompson’s selflessness, twoway prowess and status as a core member of a dynasty make him irreplaceable. But that hardly means the Warriors are going to give up on the season before it even starts, which is why, just hours after Thursday’s devastating news surfaced, they traded for Oubre — a versatile wing fresh off a career season with the Suns who figures to slide into Thompson’s shooting guard spot.
Many Warriors fans who booed Oubre three years ago will likely be relieved to see him fill in for the player he punched. Though Oubre is not nearly as good a shooter or defender as Thompson, he was probably Golden State’s best available option in an underwhelming freeagency and trade market.
Oubre was somewhat of a disappointment not long ago but started to maximize his physical tools after he was traded from Washington to Phoenix in December 2018. He helped make the Suns fun again with dazzling dunks, flashy celebrations and highclass fashion. His averages last season of 18.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals silenced critics who wondered when he’d play up to his former billing as one of the nation’s top recruits.
Thanks in large part to Oubre’s production and vocal leadership, Phoenix began to aggressively pursue its first playoff berth since 2010. On Monday, the Suns traded Oubre to Oklahoma City in a deal that brought them Chris Paul. Three days later, the Warriors acquired Oubre for a firstround pick in 2021, a pick that’s protected if it’s in the top 20.
At first glance, this is a bargain for a player who turns 25 next month and ranked 15th in the league last season with 282 transition points. But to absorb Oubre’s $ 14.4 million salary into their $ 17.2 million trade exception, the Warriors added to a payroll that already was expected to be the highest in NBA history, jumping their luxurytax bill from $ 66 million to $ 134 million.
By shouldering that financial burden during a pandemic that threatens to keep fans out of Chase Center indefinitely, Golden State reinforced its commitment to winning. The question now is how much of a difference Oubre can make. Though no one expects him to be the next Thompson, he offers the Warriors more length and speed along the wing.
When at his best, Oubre is sprinting down court for an acrobatic dunk. More than a quarter of his scoring last season came in transition. Outside of Pacers forward T. J. Warren, no highvolume scorer in the NBA averaged more points per fast break than Oubre’s 1.2.
A belowaverage shooter early in his career, Oubre has steadily improved, hitting 35.2% of his 3point tries last season. In halfcourt situations, he excels most as a slasher, with a knack for attacking the rim that should particularly help the Warriors when they go to smallball lineups. Oubre often gets by bigger defenders with ease.
On defense, he is better oneonone than in pick and rolls. Oubre’s 73 wingspan allows him to disrupt passing lanes and make life difficult on some of the league’s best scorers. But when forced to read angles and switch off screens, he has looked hesitant.
This could cause Oubre problems in the Warriors’ system, which long has relied on Thompson’s ability to muscle through screens. But as Golden State general manager Bob Myers told reporters Thursday, “When we got the news about Klay’s injury, we found ourselves with a hole at a position where we can’t find any better guys to fill it than a Klay Thompson.”
What makes Thompson so special is that, on a team with the fiery Green and the ball dominant Stephen Curry, he is content to shun fame, rarely dribble, defend the opponent’s best player, run more than anyone else on the floor and knock down catch and shoot jumpers. Though Thompson might not be the NBA’s best shooting guard, he is without question the best shooting guard for the Warriors.
Meanwhile, Oubre is the best wing Golden State could acquire under unenviable circumstances. His brash playing style and attentionseeking ways, though in stark contrast to the nofrills Thompson, are worth a seasonlong tryout.
If Oubre proves to be an odd fit in the Warriors’ system and culture, he can sign elsewhere in free agency next summer as Golden State prepares to welcome back Thompson. But if Oubre impresses, he could figure into the longterm plans as a highenergy sixth or seventh man, ratcheting up the tempo and feasting in transition.
Then, perhaps Oubre would become a favorite among those fans who booed him at Oracle Arena.