The Warriors’ big bet on Klay Thompson over Kevin Love has paid off

The Bay Area front office was widely criticized when it chose to stand pat rather than trading for the NBA All-Star power forward in a package headlined by Thompson. Love, widely viewed as a top 10 player at the time, seemed to be the type of player the Warriors needed to take another step towards contention.

Instead, Golden State doubled down on Thompson and gave him a near-max extension. The decision was questioned, with some denying Thompson was really a guy worth building around, but the Warriors stuck with their guy. In the seven months since, the team hasn’t just been proven correct -- it has looked downright prescient.

A year ago, Thompson had ascended to become a quality player but wasn’t viewed as a realistic championship-caliber sidekick to Stephen Curry. After all, the duo was the best-shooting backcourt in the league and their offense still couldn’t break into the top 10 in the 2013-14 season.

Golden State decided that Thompson had another gear in his game, however, and knew how well he fit with the roster. Even if many didn’t believe he was worth the near-max extension at the time, those reactions assumed Thompson couldn’t get to the next level. Thompson was destined to be a great shooter and little else, not the sort of player you hold onto when an All-NBA big man is available.

The trade made so much sense, but the Warriors believed in Thompson. Love went to Cleveland, Thompson went on to have a career year and was voted to the All-NBA team for the first time, and now the two sides stare across at each other to earn a ring.

Golden State drafted Thompson with the No. 11 pick of the draft. As a prospect, Thompson’s value came from his shooting and his size, ranking high on most shooting efficiency lists while taking more attempts than many other names on the list. At 6’7, he could get his shot off at Washington State unhindered whether it was off a screen, on a spot-up or pulling up.

Although it was clear Thompson had the potential to develop into an all-around scorer at the NBA level, there were concerns about his finishing at the rim. His defensive graded well enough, but some scouting reports questioned his athleticism and, in turn, how much better of a defender he could be. The end result was his lottery selection: high enough for the team to have major expectations, but still closer to the middle than the top.

Thompson started the season slow but quickly overcame a learning curve, averaging 17 points after the all-star break in his rookie season. His average -- 13 points per game -- rose to 16 as a sophomore and 18 in 2013-14, while his defense was firmly above average.

But as talked about the Love trade swirled, Thompson still hadn’t made “the leap.” For Golden State to trust him took guts and probably a couple skyward prayers, but their fears had to be relieved as Thompson was sensational to start the season and the Warriors pulled to the top of the Western Conference, never to look back.

Thompson finished the season averaging 22 points on 46 percent shooting and 44 percent shooting from behind the arc. He got better at creating his own shot -- he made 31 percent of his shots unassisted after 25 percent last year -- and finishing at the rim -- 64 percent in the restricted area, up from 60 percent. His defense was a valuable cog in Golden State’s No. 1 ranked defense while the Splash Bros led the Warriors to the No. 1 offense, as well.

Kevin Love probably would have been incredible in Golden State, but Thompson was a Warrior, brought in and homegrown by this organization. The Warriors’ season wouldn’t have been possible without his growth as a player.

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