The Golden State Warriors won a title just four years ago, but since then, they haven’t been able to get anywhere close. And for the last couple of years, they’ve struggled to even truly compete in the postseason. Stephen Curry deserves better. Klay Thompson just signed with the Miami Heat in a deal that the Warriors would love to replicate, adding solid role players of their own, but they haven’t been able to do that.
Miami landed Thompson because he wanted to sign there. He and the Dallas Mavericks came to an agreement on a buyout, and it seems as though the reasoning behind it was that Thompson wanted to join the Heat. The Warriors need that. They need players to want to join them. But nobody wants to join a team that isn’t actively trying to win.
And based on everything going on, it seems like the Warriors aren’t actively looking to make any big moves to improve in the short-term. That’s why buyout players are more interested in the Miamis of the world than the Golden States.
Warriors should want buyout players like Klay Thompson to want to join them
If guys like Thompson wanted to sign with the Warriors, it would be hugely beneficial. Golden State could add some depth that they desperately need behind Curry and the rest of the team.
Jimmy Butler will be back eventually, and Kristaps Porzingis could perhaps stay healthy. But even behind those guys, the Warriors still need more depth pieces to help them out. That’s where the Thompsons of the world could help.
So, why would Thompson want to join a team like the Heat instead of a team like the Warriors? I mean, outside of the fact that Thompson probably wouldn’t want to return to Golden State.
Well, that’s because Miami is clearly making moves toward improvement. The Heat are actively trying to get better, as evidenced by their massive trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer.
Meanwhile, the Warriors haven’t made any additions this summer. They haven’t made moves. They have stood firmly in place, and not in a good way.
Golden State should want to build a team that players around the league want to join. The Warriors should want to be building toward a reality in which they are viewed as contenders.
Obviously, Thompson is an imperfect example. He probably wouldn’t want to go back to the Warriors. But the Warriors should want other buyout players to join them. They should want to be in a good enough position for that to be the reality.
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