Kendrick Perkins Bluntly States Warriors Should Trade Klay Thompson After Benching

The Golden State Warriors are at a crossroads with star guard Klay Thompson.

Thompson, 33, has endured an up-and-down 2023-24 season. During the Warriors’ 109–98 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, Thompson was subbed out of a four-point game with 7:19 to play. He did not return to the game and watched from the bench as Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and a cast of Golden State youngsters closed out the win.

ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins believes there’s a move to be made. 

“For the life of me, I don’t understand why the Warriors don’t stop the bleeding,” Perkins said Tuesday on First Take. “Trade Klay Thompson.”

In 45 games this season, Thompson is averaging 17.1 points on 37.1% shooting from three-point range. It’s the lowest three-point clip of his career, and his lowest scoring average since 2012-13, his second NBA campaign. 

Thompson will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He and the Warriors weren’t able to agree to a contract extension before the season.

“When you think about Klay, I don’t think that he’s done,” Perkins said. “I think he’s mentally not there. And it's been that way before the season even started when they were negotiating and trying to come up with a contract extension. ... When you’re not there psychologically and mentally, you’re not going to perform at your best.

“For the life of me, I don’t understand why the Warriors are so afraid to move on.”

Thompson, of course, has been Curry’s backcourt mate since being selected in the 2011 NBA draft. He’s been a key part of four championship teams and will one day have his jersey retired by the organization.

ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst quickly shut down Perkins’s theory.

“Perk, they are not trading Klay Thompson,” Windhorst said. “They can’t trade Klay Thompson. Klay Thompson is going to have a statue outside Chase Center someday. They can’t trade Klay Thompson.”

Even if the Warriors don’t move Thompson this week, Golden State fans might need to start preparing to see the Splash Brother wearing a different uniform if the two parties go their separate ways this offseason.