Report: Warriors holding firm on Thompson's exclusion from Love deal with defense in mind
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While the Cleveland Cavaliers have come to the table with a substantial offer for Kevin Love that includes No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins, the Golden State Warriors have remained steadfast that they will not include Klay Thompson in a deal.
It seems curious at first blush. Not only is Thompson not nearly the offensive player Love is, he's also eligible for an extension this summer and, failing that, will get very expensive as a restricted free agent next summer. The inclusion of a player who averaged 18.4 points and 2.2 assists last season but did so with an above average, but not great, true shooting percentage (55.5 percent) and a below average player efficiency rating (14.3) shouldn't be a sticking point.
But the box score line negates defense, and that's the primary reason for the Warriors digging in on Thompson's exclusion. Thompson is a sound defender and helps a great deal in covering up for the shortcomings of splash brother Steph Curry.
The defensive consideration comes from the very top of the organization, according to a report from Sam Amick of USA Today Sports:
In short, they're not willing to ditch the defense.
Their recent refusal to include guard and Timberwolves target Klay Thompson in the deal is rooted in this reality, as losing Thompson would not only leave Curry overexposed defensively in the backcourt but is compounded by the fact that Love — much like incumbent power forward David Lee, who would head to Minnesota if this deal got done — isn't exactly known as a two-way player. From Lacob on down, this is a major part of the Warriors' internal analysis and something that belies all the initial speculation about how this Kerr era might be defined.
Hiring defensive-minded assistants was also a part of the team's plan to improve on that end of the floor, and ownership is said to be very high on Thompson after his playoff performance this spring.
The debates around the Minnesota Timberwolves, Warriors, and Cavaliers are all very interesting right now. Wiggins for Love is an upside and financial flexibility argument against one for the chance to win immediately, and Thompson for Love seems to be one of basketball philosophy, anchoring, and ultimate upside. These aren't easy decisions.