"Doubt Steph is letting this happen": Warriors fans refuse to believe Klay Thompson's prospects as trade candidate

Amid their recent struggles, the Golden State Warriors are reportedly open to trading veteran star shooting guard Klay Thompson. However, given how beloved Thompson is in the Bay Area, Warriors fans are skeptical that the organization will pull the trigger on a deal.

Thompson has played his entire career with Golden State since being drafted No. 11 by the franchise in the 2011 NBA draft. He has helped lead the Warriors to six NBA Finals appearances, winning four championships.

In his prime, Thompson was widely considered one of the NBA’s top two-way wings. However, the soon-to-be-34-year-old’s production has dropped off on both ends this season.

Through 42 games, Thompson is averaging 17.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.5 blocks and 3.4 3-pointers per game on 42.1% shooting.

Meanwhile, Golden State (19-24) sits just 12th in the Western Conference, outside of the play-in tournament, despite having title expectations. So, with the Feb. 8 trade deadline fast approaching, the team is widely expected to shake up its roster.

Per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Warriors have put “everyone on the table except for Steph Curry.”

“They're going to take calls on Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, and could they get interest on a guy even like Klay Thompson? I think those are very much open conversations for the Warriors,” Charania said on Monday’s episode of “Run It Back.”

However, following Charania’s report, Warriors fans on X, formerly Twitter, expressed skepticism.

“I doubt Steph is letting this happen,” one fan said.

“Why would you get rid of the second-best 3-point shooter in the league? It wouldn’t make sense. ... I’d lose a lot of respect for the team,” another said.

However, a few Golden State fans embraced the possibility of moving on from the five-time All-Star.

“I’d love Klay to be a lifetime Warrior, but if he’s not prepared to take a pay cut, then this HAS to happen,” one fan said.

“Their biggest problem is Klay. The Warriors can still win [with] Steph and Dray[mond] Green] [if they] add some good, young, fresh legs,” another said.

Below are some more of the top fan reactions to the Warriors being open to trading Klay Thompson:

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Does a Klay Thompson trade make sense for the Warriors?

Trading Klay Thompson would undoubtedly ruffle some Warriors fans’ feathers. However, given the team’s bleak short and long-term prospects, a deal could be beneficiary.

Through 43 games, the Warriors rank 24th in defensive rating (117.9). With Thompson on the court, their defensive rating drops even further to 120.2, which would rank 29th in the league.

Meanwhile, Thompson has provided streaky offensive production, making him somewhat of a liability when his shots aren’t falling.

So, if Golden State wants to extend its title window, shipping out the four-time champion for a younger, defensive-oriented player could make sense. However, the team would have to ensure that it gets back a strong enough return to make it worthwhile dealing away such a beloved player.

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