Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson got into it with a reporter while speaking with the media after practice on Monday.
Thompson was asked by The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami about the “patience” being shown by head coach Steve Kerr toward some of the Warriors’ struggling starters — Thompson included.
Thompson may have felt like it was a loaded question. The five-time All-Star responded as if Kawakami was insinuating that he should be grateful to remain a starter.
“You want them to bench me? You want to bench [Andrew Wiggins]? You want to bench us? Okay. I mean, you can suggest it. It’s fine. Thanks, Steve, I guess? I don’t know,” Thompson said.
The 33-year-old added that some players are able to “earn” extended patience from their head coach. He pointed to the winning history he already has with the Warriors.
Thompson has averaged 15.0 points across 16 games played this season — the lowest since his rookie campaign over a decade ago. His shooting percentages have also dipped to career lows of 40.2% from the field and 36.7% from the three-point line.
Thompson is just a few years removed from his last major leg injury. Considering both Thompson’s injury history and relatively advanced age, it’s not surprising to see the four-time champion lose some of his productivity.
Thompson came into the season feeling like he had something to prove. The Warriors guard hasn’t done much to quiet his doubters just yet.
The Warriors have won just two of their last nine games partly due to the struggles of Thompson and Wiggins. But Thompson has won four championships with Golden State, so he believes he should be afforded the benefit of the doubt.
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