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Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

Who is the second-best player on the Warriors?

By Ethan Scott | Last updated 1/31/23

Warriors nine-time All-Star Stephen Curry is the face of the franchise and team's best player, but who is second best?

Is it Andrew Wiggins? Has Klay Thompson taken those reins? Is Draymond Green still impactful? Has Jordan Poole reached that level? All four play different games, but each complements Curry well.

Six months ago, Wiggins was the answer after Golden State beat the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals in six games. He was superb on offense and especially on defense, irritating Jayson Tatum and dropping 18.3 points and reeling in 8.8 rebounds a game.

After an outstanding start this season, Wiggins suffered an abductor injury, sidelining him for more than a month.

In his eight games back, he hasn't looked the same. Before the injury, he was shooting 45% from three, obliterating his career high. Since returning, the figure has nosedived to 39.6% for the season.

In Golden State's 128-120 win at Oklahoma City on Monday, however, Wiggins had his best game since his return.

THE CANADIANS

Andrew Wiggins | vs. Oklahoma City

15 POINTS
4 REBOUNDS
2 BLOCKS@warriors | #DubNation pic.twitter.com/6h6ThnVe0m
— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) January 31, 2023

After a shockingly slow start, Thompson is playing some of the best basketball in his career. Since the turn of the new year, he has averaged 27 points, shooting 46% from the field and 43% from three. His defense isn't what it was before his major injuries, but there's a noticeable improvement on that end from last season.

Green is still one of the more underappreciated players in the league, a generational one-through-five defender. Last season, he was the front-runner to win his second Defensive Player of the Year before suffering a back injury in early January that sidelined him for more than two months.

This season, Green is by far the best defender on a team that doesn't seem to relish defense.

Your regular reminder that opponents shoot 48.8% at the rim against Draymond Green this season. That's 2nd among 52 players who have played at least 30 games and who contest at least 4 shots at the rim per game. pic.twitter.com/vrf4ISNZ7d
— Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) January 27, 2023

On offense, Green orchestrates and facilitates with the best of them, leading the team in assists at 6.9 a game.

Poole's has played well this season, but many expected more, especially after he signed a four-year, $123M contract.

He has upped his points per game to 20.8 from 18.5 last season, but his efficiency has dropped. Teams have taken note, devising specific game plans to slow him.

Poole is shooting 43.7% (44.8% last season) from the field and 32.2% (36.4% last season) from three.

Poole has improved significantly on defense, but with his slim frame (6-4, 190 pounds) he can be a liability. He doesn't have a good case as the team's second-best player until he improves his defense and offensive efficiency.

That leaves Thompson as the second-best player for the Warriors this season when taking in the aggregate of his game. He's not playing at his 2018-19 level, but the 32-year-old has a lot left in the tank.

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