After 13 seasons and four championships with the Golden State Warriors, Klay Thompson has moved on to continue his career with the Dallas Mavericks. While losing a key piece, head coach Steve Kerr believes Andrew Wiggins is more than capable of stepping up in Thompson’s absence.
Kerr laid out his expectations for Wiggins, making it clear how he can fill the void left by Thompson. “To me, I’ve already told him: six 3-pointers a game,” Kerr told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke. “He’s a really good 3-point shooter. His numbers dipped a little last year, but since he’s been here, it’s been 39, 40 percent.”
Kerr also emphasized the need for Wiggins to be aggressive. “I want a lot of 3s, and I want a lot of attacks to the rim,” he said. “He shot over 80 percent from the foul line in the second half of last season. He looks really comfortable in every aspect of the game.”
With Thompson’s departure, Kerr also highlighted the importance of Wiggins becoming the team’s second-leading scorer behind Stephen Curry. “And let’s face it, with Klay gone, we need him to step up and be our second scorer after Steph, and we know he’s perfectly capable of that.”
Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors dunks during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers. Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Imagesto
Kerr reflects on Thompson’s departure
In an interview with Tim Kawakami on The TK Show, Kerr reflected on Thompson’s exit and admitted that there were signs the longtime Warrior was ready for a change.
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“Yeah, there were signs,” Kerr said. “None of us knew exactly what would happen, but we all wanted him to stay. I wanted Klay to be a Warrior for life—it just felt like the right thing. But only Klay knows what’s best for him. By the end of the year, I think he knew he was ready for a new chapter.”
Kerr expressed his full support for Thompson’s decision, adding, “I’m happy for him. I think this is going to be a great move. He’s joining a strong team with two top-tier creators in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, which should open up a lot of looks for him. A career change late in your career can sometimes be exactly what you need to recharge.”
