ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins calls for a Warriors-Klay Thompson breakup

ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins believes it’s time for Klay Thompson and the Warriors to break up.

Thompson hasn’t exactly had an ideal start for a player in a contract year, shooting below his career averages from inside and outside the 3-point arc. His last two games have been particularly rough: He went 0-for-1 before getting ejected from Tuesday’s loss to the Timberwolves, and he followed that up shooting 1-for-10 from the field in Thursday’s loss to the Thunder.

It’s a far cry from his peak, when he looked like one of the greatest shooters in NBA history and solidified himself in Warriors lore forever. Even worse is that this slump is taking place when the Dubs need him to score the most, as Steph Curry is out with a knee injury.

Speaking on ESPN’s “NBA Today,” Perkins noted that Thompson’s scoring average is the lowest it’s been since his rookie year, and acknowledged that perhaps the lack of a contract extension could be affecting the Golden State guard’s game. Though the last news came mid-October, it wasn’t great for Thompson’s goal of a max deal. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the two sides were still “still apart on years and money” and made “no progress” on a new contract.  Still, Perkins concludes that it’s time for Thompson and the Dubs to see other people.

“It’s actually time for Golden State to move on from Klay Thompson,” Perkins said. “I think this marriage has ran its course, and I think Klay needs a fresh start with a new organization. Is he a No. 1 on a contending team? No. Is he a No. 2 on a contending team? No. But he is a No. 3, a third option, and I think he needs a fresh start.”

Who would take on a struggling 33-year-old on the wrong side of an ACL and Achilles tear with a $43 million salary? True to his nature of not thinking things through, Perkins deflected when host Malika Andrews pressed him on the topic. Instead, Perkins compared Thompson’s situation to when Kevin Garnett got traded from the Timberwolves to the Celtics, Shaquille O’Neal ditched Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, and Dwyane Wade left the Heat for the Bulls.

Of course, this treats the issue as if Thompson shouldn’t leave the Warriors because it’s the team he’s been with his entire career, and not because he couldn’t leave the Warriors because no team would be willing to trade for him.

Thompson’s struggles go beyond this season, too. The only reason Thompson’s slump in the postseason last year didn’t get more attention is because Jordan Poole’s foibles were even more noticeable. (Speaking of Poole, the Dubs castoff is outscoring the Thompson on fewer shot attempts and games played as of Friday afternoon, even while looking miserable on the Washington Wizards.) With that being the case, it’s hard to imagine many teams champing at the bit to get Thompson on their roster.

Perkins does eventually make a salient point: He argues that Thompson is “mentally not there” because of the ongoing negotiations regarding his contract. Meanwhile, Thompson’s teammates had a much easier time getting a new deal, as Perkins noted. 

“When it was time for Jordan Poole to get his extension, he got it with Golden State,” he said. “When it was time for Andrew Wiggins to get his extension, he got it with Golden State. When it was time for them to re-sign Draymond Green, we couldn’t get three days past the free agency market and Draymond was penciled in. How do you think Klay Thompson is feeling right now?”

Of course, then Perkins made the strange argument that Thompson should leave for another team because Russell Westbrook looked better after moving from the Lakers to the Clippers last season. Again, as exasperated fellow panelist Zach Lowe tried to explain to Perkins, the issue is about other teams wanting Thompson, not Thompson wanting to go to other teams.

Perhaps the analogy of a marriage ending wasn’t the best one to make here. In real life, a divorce doesn’t require one side to find another partner before finalizing the end of things. In the NBA, taking that approach with someone on a guaranteed contract could cost millions of dollars.

However, the connection to real life is still there. Just like with actual couples, Thompson’s long and celebrated history with the Warriors is almost certainly enough for them to tough out this rough patch.