Patrick Beverley's Controversial Paul George, Klay Thompson Warriors Statement

There has been a recent debate in the NBA about whether you would rather have Klay Thompson's career or Paul George's career.

12-year NBA veteran Patrick Beverley weighed in by sharing a controversial take that many Warriors fans will likely disagree with.

"If you put Paul George in that role as Klay Thompson, playing with Steph [Curry], Draymond Green, [Andre] Igudola. We know Paul George, a couple of years ago, was in the MVP race. If you substitute them two... I think that Golden State probably wins more championships," Beverley said on his Pat Bev Pod.

George is a nine-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, and four-time All-Defensive player, as he has been one of the league's premier two-way talents in his era. The 35-year-old star may be declining, but when he was healthy and in his prime, he was undoubtedly a more impactful star than Thompson. However, is that what the Warriors needed?

Warriors needed Thompson

Many people look at George's 2018-19 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder when analyzing his prime, as he averaged 28.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.2 steals per game with 43.8/38.6/83.9 shooting splits, finishing third in MVP and Defensive Player of the Year voting.

If the Warriors replaced that version of George with Thompson, they would have a much more dynamic star-studded core, adding another first-option-caliber star, but Golden State won championships because of that specific dynamic they put together.

Thompson was the top sharpshooter in the NBA, while being able to guard the opposing team's best player, being the perfect backcourt partner for Curry. With a big three of Curry, Thompson, and Green, the Warriors had everything they needed, and it all balanced out to be one of the most dominant teams in NBA history.

It is hard to say that George would have been a better fit than Thompson, simply because he is more talented, when NBA history shows that is not always the answer.