“Didn’t take the news well” - Inside the heated moment Klay Thompson confronted Steve Kerr amid benching

Long-time Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson has taken on a new role this season but was left irate after hearing the news. According to head coach Steve Kerr, when he and the rest of the coaching staff told Thompson he was going to be demoted to the team's new sixth man, the Warriors veteran was infuriated and threw a fit.

Given the duration of Klay Thompson's status as one of Golden State's starters, it's not the type of news one would take lightly. Fortunately, Thompson didn't make his situation worse than it already was and ultimately apologized to the coaching staff for yelling:

"[Klay] Thompson initially didn’t take the news well," Kerr said. "Later, he came back to apologize to the coaches.”

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A look at Klay Thompson's Golden State career

Los Angeles Lakers v Golden State Warriors

Throughout his 11-year tenure in the NBA, Klay Thompson has suited up for the Golden State Warriors. During that time, he successfully supported his team in notching four championships and was undeniably one of the key factors why the Warriors were able to do so.

Despite being the sidekick to Steph Curry, Thompson notched five All-Star game appearances and was also named to two All-NBA Teams.

However, ever since Klay busted his knee in 2019 and tore his Achilles in 2020, Curry's fellow "Splash Brother" has never been the same since he made his return in 2022.

While Thompson managed to put up similar numbers during his comeback and even won his fourth ring, fans and analysts could tell from his movement on the court that he was slowly becoming inefficient.

Looking at Thompson's current numbers, he's averaging 17.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. The last time the Warriors guard averaged less than 20 points was back in the 2013-14 season when he scored 18.4 ppg. Aside from the drop in scoring numbers, his efficiency from beyond the arc is also at an all-time low. "Klay" is shooting a career-low 37.7% from long distance. He beat his record of 38.5% from the 2021-22 season.

While Klay Thompson is arguably still the second-best player in the Warriors squad, coach Steve Kerr thinks that having him run the second unit could help the team win more games. Naturally, as a starter, being moved to the sixth-man position may seem like a demotion. However, looking at the Warriors' current situation, it's not an entirely bad idea for coach Kerr to run new rotations.

Given how Golden State (31-27) is currently 10th in the Western Conference, there's a possibility they could qualify for the Play-In Tournament.

With that said, making these adjustments to test out the waters with 24 games remaining in their season could be the right strategy. It's clear that the Golden State Warriors have struggled throughout the season while running their typical lineup.

Although deciding to switch things up now might seem a bit too late for some, it will be interesting to see whether the Warriors can secure an efficient rotation before the Play-In Tournament begins.