Maintaining perspective on Klay Thompson's trade value

Aside from Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love, there is no hotter commodity on the market than Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson.

To recap: both the Los Angeles Lakers and Timberwolves are interested in acquiring Thompson. The return, respectively, the seventh pick in the upcoming draft, or the aforementioned Love. The market is certainly bullish on Thompson's value.

The enthusiasm for Thompson, in many ways, is warranted. He's young, he's good defender, and most importantly, he's an elite three-point shooter. Oh, and he just so happens to play shooting guard at a time where the league is devoid of two's. Things couldn't look rosier for Thompson. No wonder he wants a max contract when his rookie deal ends after next season.

And yet, while those factors certainly favor Thompson, it's important to keep his value and productivity in perspective. 

Here's an experiment. Listed below are the stats of two mystery players. Can you guess who players A and B are? 

Player A is Thompson. Player B is perennially underrated Portland Trail Blazers guard Wesley Matthews. Pretty similar, right? A case could even be made that Matthews is better.

The scouting profile backs up the statistical findings. Like Thompson, Matthews is a high-volume catch-and-shoot three-point specialist. Both players are capable of putting the ball of the floor when needed, and they both profile as strong perimeter defenders.

Similarities aside, there are some key differences between the two. First, Thompson, 24, is three years younger with some room to grow, while Matthews is entering his prime at the age of 27. Second, the two play in different systems, so their statistics can't be entirely taken at face-value.

However, there remains one more key difference - their salaries. Matthews has one more year remaining on his deal at $7.3 million, while Thompson is in-line for a near-max extension after next season valued at roughly $15 million per year. Yes, Thompson is younger, but would if you were an NBA general manager, would you pay twice as much for roughly the same production?

The point of this article is not to compare Thompson and Matthews' talents. At the moment, it's pretty evident that they're roughly equals. Rather, it's meant as a reminder to properly gauge value. Thompson might be young and flashy, but teams should practice prudence. If similar production can be had for less, it should be preferred to the pricier option.

And that's not to say Thompson isn't worth his impending raise. It could be argued that Matthews deserves more compensation for his play. However, there are no lofty trade talks of Matthews for high picks or disgruntled superstars as there are for Thompson. 

That signals a disconnect. Either teams are rightfully bullish on Thompson's production and ability to improve, to which Matthews should expect a raise, or their evaluation of Thompson's value is inflated. 

If the later is true, teams like the 'Wolves and Lakers may need to rethink their trade offers.