Before the 2020 NBA Draft, almost all Warriors fans were indulged in debates surrounding who team should select with the second overall pick. Names such as Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, LaMelo Ball, and more were at the top of most Warriors fans’ minds. Approximately an hour before the draft, however, there was only one person at the top of those fans’ minds: Klay Thompson. Tragic news had broken, announcing Klay Thompson set to miss his second consecutive season due to an achilles tear. While most Warriors fans were stuck in a state of agony, general manager Bob Myers was quick to pull the trigger in hopes to fill some of the void that would be left by Thompson.
Just a few days after he promoted the brand new ‘Valley’ jerseys for the Phoenix Suns, Kelly Oubre Jr. was shipped to the Golden State Warriors in a three-team deal involving the Oklahoma City Thunder. Coming off of a season where he shot a career-high from the field (45.2%), the three point line (35.2%), and in true shooting percentage (56%), many expected Oubre to make a substantial impact offensively and defensively for the Warriors.
However, except for an impressive one month stretch in February where he averaged 20.1 points, shot 43% from three, and 50.2% from the field, Oubre never looked comfortable in Steve Kerr’s motion offense. In an offense predicated towards off-ball movement, Oubre found most of his success playing iso ball. In addition, his abysmal three-point shooting (31.6%) hurt the Warriors’ spacing, which impacted the way opposing defenses played against Stephen Curry.
Oubre missed the final stretch of the Warriors 2020-2021 season due to an injury. During that stretch, the Warriors offense found the most success they had found all season as players such as Jordan Poole and Juan Toscano-Anderson stepped up for the team. The Warriors went 15-5 during that stretch and earned the opportunity to compete in the play-in game against the Memphis Grizzlies. That final stretch gave the Warriors and their fans all they needed to see when it came to Oubre’s future with the team, as he was a free-agent after the season.
During free agency, Oubre inked a 2 year $25 million deal with the Charlotte Hornets. This move ultimately worked out in the Warriors favor as they were able to sign key rotational players such as Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica, who bring exceptional three-point shooting, as well as Andre Iguodala, one of the best facilitators in the NBA. Additionally, the departure of Kelly Oubre Jr., has allowed Jordan Poole to step up in a big way offensively for the team until Klay Thompson returns. The Warriors currently sit at the top of the league through 11 games in points per game (115.9). In comparison, the Warriors were twelfth in the league last season in that respective stat (113.7). Furthermore, the Warriors have improved defensively sitting at the #2 in the NBA in points per game allowed (102.3). While he is enjoying a larger role in Charlotte, the Warriors can not be happier with the offseason loss of Kelly Oubre Jr.
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