Golden State Warriors: Can Klay Thompson Make an Impact in His Rookie Season?
Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry will be starting in the backcourt (most likely anyway), Dorell Wright and David Lee will be the starting forwards, and hopefully anyone other than Andris Biedrins will be starting at center. So where does that leave rookie Klay Thompson?
As the potential NBA Rookie of the Year.
Despite getting suspended for Washington State's regular-season finale for marijuana possession, not only did Thompson's draft stock not suffer, he actually shot up some teams’ draft board as draft night inched closer and closer—A little different from the way NFL teams’ approach drafting players with drug issues, huh?
With that, Thompson fell into an ideal situation; landing with the Golden State Warriors. He is not going to be thrown into the starting lineup on day one, and he isn’t coming in with giant expectations right away. Plus, his numbers should be inflated as soon as he puts on that Warrior uniform on with their NBA2K offense paired with their Rec League defense.
Thompson is a sharpshooter and has a well-rounded offensive game, while his weakness is his defense, for right now. However, playing on this Warriors squad, it's not like he is going to be a liability or anything.
As far as becoming the Rookie of the Year, Thompson can hide behind all of his teammates' defensive inadequacies, and maybe even look like a good defender comparatively. This sets him up to put up big numbers offensively, which will look real nice, while making defense something he can learn as he moves along in his NBA career.
However, let's say that new head coach Mark Jackson has the new starting five become totally defensive minded, making offense secondary in everybody's mind.
If that happens, send the Coach of the Year award immediately to Jackson’s house.
Anyway, something like this would make Thompson that much more valuable of a commodity. With his range and offensive game, he will be the guy who will bring instant offense off of the bench.
Thompson's ability to play either shooting guard or small forward is going to be key in getting big minutes off the bench, as the Warriors can form a nice rotation between him, Curry, Ellis and Wright. Logging starter's minutes as a bench player is going to get him level with the Jimmer Fredette's and Kemba Walker's of this class—Guys who are going to be on the floor for the majority of the games and season.
If Wright, Ellis or even Curry ever were to get injured, the Warriors can easily adjust by plugging Thompson right into the starting lineup. If one of these guys were to miss extended time, it would not surprise me at all—let's say Wright missed the entire season—if Thompson put up the exact same numbers that Wright did last year.
Those would be rookie of the year numbers easily, especially with no Blake Griffin type in this year's rookie class.
Thompson is also going to have a leg up on any rookie coming in this season. When this season starts in January (at this point we'd be lucky with January), rookies will be getting their first taste of an NBA training camp in December.
However, Thompson has the luxury of having his dad, former number one overall pick Mychal Thompson, teaching him the NBA game and life as you read this.
Plus, he should have the lowest pressure of any lottery pick going into next year, as unlike in Cleveland or in Sacramento, the Warriors aren't hoping that their rookies are going to fill the seats immediately.
As long as the new head coach doesn't have a problem with playing rookies, like some other former coach, and if Thompson doesn't fall into Jackson's doghouse, with his shooting ability, overall talent and with the way he fits into the Warriors roster, paired with the lack of overall star power in this year's rookie class, Thompson is capable of being the Rookie of the Year next season.
There are many reasons to be high (no pun intended) on Thompson's ability to contribute in a major way his rookie season.
