Klay Thompson Would Embrace Ray Allen Role With Miami Heat To Stay With Warriors
Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson is coming to terms with the fact that he may need to take on a reduced role to remain with the team.
At 34 years old, Thompson is averaging 17.1 points and 3.5 rebounds on 41.8 percent shooting. He turned down an extension from the Warriors last offseason, hoping to prove his worth for a larger deal. However, the down year has the five-time All-Star expressing willingness to accept a role like Ray Allen's on the Miami Heat.
“Yeah, there’s nothing wrong with that. I’ll be 35 next year. At 35, coming off the ACL and an Achilles [tear] and still have the ability to be a really good player," Thompson shared with Logan Murdock of The Ringer. "Maybe not the guy who scored 60 in three quarters and scored an NBA record 37 points in a quarter, but still a great threat out there. I’ve modeled my game after Reggie [Miller] and Ray [Allen], and those guys were incredibly effective until their late 30s. So I plan on kind of following that mold.”
Allen concluded his career by playing two seasons with the Heat. He averaged 10.3 points on nearly 40 percent from the arc. His longevity allowed him to act as a key contributor to the Heat's 2013 NBA Finals win against the San Antonio Spurs.
Thompson's struggles have been prevalent this season, with him being benched near the end of the game on multiple occasions. If he accepts a lesser contract this summer, it will allow the Warriors front office to bring in reinforcements alongside Stephen Curry.
Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Inside the Heat.
He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on Instagram @anthony.pasciolla.
You can also check out his personal blog HERE
Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook HERE
Subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE
