The Golden State Warriors are reportedly moving quickly to replace the hole Klay Thompson’s season-ending injury left in the roster, with rumors suggesting that the team is looking to land Kelly Oubre Jr. in a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
If the trade shakes out, it could make for some awkward moments in the locker room, given the forward’s spotty history with some Warriors players.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the Warriors have been in “serious discussions” with the Thunder to land the small forward. The outlet wrote that Golden State has a $17.2 million trade exception that expires on Monday, giving the team the ability to absorb his $15.6 million contract for the upcoming season if they can hammer out a deal in time.
“It’s unclear whether Golden State would need to attach compensation to acquire Oubre, but, if it is able to get him, Oubre could slide into the starting shooting guard spot while Klay Thompson misses this season with a torn right Achilles tendon,” the report noted.
The injury appears to be a major blow to the franchise, which had been looking to move back into title contention after a disappointing 2019 campaign marred by injuries and inconsistent play. The Warriors have now been left scrambling after the season-ending injury for their sharp-shooting guard, who already missed all of last season after tearing an ACL during the 2019 NBA Finals.
The acquisition could make for a bit of tension between the new teammates. As NBC Sports reported, Oubre already has something of a history with some of Golden State’s top players, including Thompson and Draymond Green.
“Oubre and Thompson now could be sharing a locker room at Chase Center, but the two came to blows during a Warriors game against the Washington Wizards in 2017, leading to an ejection and fine for Oubre.”
Take a closer look as it appears Kelly Oubre Jr. lands a punch to Klay’s face during the scrum. pic.twitter.com/j7dg0srh3o
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 28, 2017
There had already been rumors suggesting that Golden State could target Oubre in the abbreviated NBA offseason. Nathan Beighle of Fansided’s Blue Man Hoop reported in July that the then-Suns player would be a perfect fit on the team’s roster. He wrote that the forward has “every tool it takes” to become a star in the league, and would be especially effective coming off the bench to lead the second unit.
A deal would make Oubre a short-lived addition to the Thunder’s roster. He was dealt to Oklahoma City in a trade on Monday that shipped Chris Paul to the Phoenix Suns.
