Kelly Oubre Jr. has had his struggles settling into his role with the Warriors, and his return to Phoenix was no exception.
Oubre Jr. shot 1-for-11 from the field and missed all five attempts from beyond the 3-point arc, finishing with four points and a -17 plus-minus in a 114-93 loss to Suns on Thursday in Phoenix.
It wasn’t the revenge game Oubre might’ve envisioned for his return to Phoenix. He averaged 18.7 points per game for the Suns last season.
“It’s always emotional coming back to a team that you played for,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after the game. “He might have been too hyped up. I don’t know. He just had one of those games. Things just didn’t go his way. Even his dunk came out. Ball just didn’t go in.”
The Warriors’ loss came on the back end of a road back-to-back series.
But Oubre’s struggles were nothing. Rough stretches have characterized his early tenure with Golden State. He shot 32% from the field with just two made from beyond the arc in his first six games. Though never lacking effort, Oubre hasn’t found his offensive footing.
He had his best game with the Warriors after rumors that the New Orleans Pelicans inquired about a possible trade involving Oubre. He went 7-for-9 overall and 2-for-3 from 3-point range in a victory Wednesday in San Francisco over the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves.
“A team called us and asked about Kelly, didn’t even make an offer,” Kerr said of the trade rumor after the Minnesota game. “Next thing you know, it’s online. … It’s unfortunate.”
Kerr said he reached out to Oubre about the rumor, a gesture that Oubre appreciated.
“I was very blessed to hear from him in the midst of something very controversial in one’s life,” Oubre said Wednesday.
