Jerry West threatened to resign his position as the Golden State Warriors head consultant if the team went ahead with a proposed trade last summer with the Minnesota Timberwolves involving guard Klay Thompson and forward Kevin Love according to the Bay Area News Group.
West believed that trading Thompson away would be a mistake, because the Warriors were a defensive team and Love was not primarily known for his defense, SI’s Chris Ballard reported .
Thompson’s father, former NBA player Mychal, said that Warriors owner Joe Lacob and general manager Bob Myer wanted to make the trade, but West and head coach Steve Kerr vetoed the deal.
Mychal Thompson on Klay: “He was put on the table by the owner and the general manager. Jerry West and Steve Kerr pulled him off the deal.”
— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) August 23, 2014
Thompson was involved in months of trade talks about being dealt for Love, and initially it looked like the trade was a foregone conclusion. Yet a reported organizational split on trading Thompson ensued, and rookie coach Steve Kerr balked at dealing him.
Relieved, Thompson went about his business and matured as a player.
“In year four, I’m looking to take a huge leap like I did last year,”
he told the Bay Area News Group last summer. Afterwards, Thompson without hesitation signed a four-year contract extension with the Warriors in the $70-million range. Going into the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and with Kevin Love’s latest playoff ending injury I sure don’t believe the Warriors lament their decision to prevent that trade from happening.
