Thompson might be affected most by KD signing, says he's happy

It was one thing when Klay Thompson swore he was happy just hooping in Stephen Curry’s shadow two years ago.

Inside a Westin conference room in Madrid, Spain, in the midst of a FIBA World Cup experience that would elevate his profile that has kept skyrocketing since, the then-24-year-old Golden State Warriors shooting guard who could be a franchise centerpiece for most NBA teams explained how sacrifice comes easy when nothing matters more to you than winning and fun.

The best part, as the “other” Splash Brother had already learned? Those two things go hand in hand.

But this is different.

This is a Warriors team that, having landed Kevin Durant via free agency this summer, now has four All-Stars (including two former MVPs) and still one ball. And this is a player in Thompson who – two All-Star appearances, one FIBA gold medal and one NBA title later – is coming off a season in which he posted career highs in scoring (22.2 points per game), field goal attempts (17.3) and three-point attempts (8.1).

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Translation: if anyone has more to lose individually by Durant’s arrival, it’s the guy who once scored 37 points in a quarter and whose 41-point barrage in Game 6 of the latest Western Conference Finals against Durant’s Oklahoma City Thunder was one of the best playoff performances of all time. What’s more, everyone in the Warriors’ world knew that getting Durant would come at the cost of several beloved role players who helped them win a title in 2015 and a regular-season record 73 games last season.

So, it seemed fair to ask, did Thompson truly want Durant to come their way? The answer, as shown through Thompson’s actions and words, is a resounding yes.

“I think (going after Durant was) a no-brainer man, just because it’s a once-in-a-generation kind of talent,” Thompson told USA TODAY Sports recently. “It’s history. There have never been two MVPs … under 30 (years old) on the same team, so it was a no-brainer just because he’s such a great talent and he’d be such a pleasure to play with. Where we were at (last season), it’s hard to imagine going to that level (again). But he’s the type of guy who could take us there.”

After their historic regular season was followed by the failed title defense against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals, the Warriors have been enjoying an early training camp of sorts these past two weeks. Thompson, Draymond Green and Durant are all part of the Team USA squad that trained in Las Vegas before starting a five-game exhibition tour that has them on the Warriors’ home floor Tuesday night. The Americans will face off against China at Oracle Arena, and it’s a safe bet that – after weeks of criticism of Durant for making the move – the locals will be showing him plenty of love as part of the new-look Warriors are on display.

Yet as Durant has acknowledged, this union never would have happened if any of the incumbent Warriors players had been reluctant to make him feel welcome. But in that Hamptons free agency meeting where the deal got done -- Curry, Thompson, Green and Andre Iguodala sat across from Durant while getting interrogated by his agent and later went for a players-only walk outside the rented mansion -- their ability to convince Durant that they truly wanted him on board was as big a factor as any. And Thompson, who was grilled by Rich Kleiman of Roc Nation Sports, more than the rest, sent the kind of genuine message that clearly resonated.

“(Kleiman said) ‘You’re a potential top 10 player,’ and just (asked) how the chemistry would be with Kevin,” Thompson recalled. “I don’t remember (his) exact words, but just how the chemistry would be with Kevin coming along and if I was willing to sacrifice touches or exposure or all that. I thought my presence there just showed him. Obviously, him hearing it coming from my mouth helped a lot.

“I thought (Kleiman) was a lawyer. I was like, ‘Man, he’s the ultimate devil’s advocate right now, and you’ve got to respect it.’ It was really cool.”

Thompson hadn’t started seriously pondering the notion of Durant wearing a Warriors jersey until just days before they all arrived in the Hamptons. He was in New York City, where the rumblings in Golden State’s inner circle continued to grow that Durant wanted to join them. And as had been the case, Thompson – who was asked to take part in the Hamptons meeting by Warriors general manager Bob Myers – made it clear to all involved that his we-over-me perspective on the game was as strong now as it had ever been.

Even if it meant he would have to share that spotlight more than ever.

“Oh yeah, (his mentality) is completely the same (as it was two years ago),” Thompson said. “If you asked (former players) who put up great numbers in this league and never even got to play in the conference finals or the NBA Finals, I’m sure they’d tell you they’d trade it all to be on a great team. I’m not worried about it.

“I think I showed how much I’m willing to make a sacrifice by just going to see Kevin and trying to pitch to him how badly we (wanted) him. That right there should speak volumes.”

Indeed it did. And once Durant was convinced that they were all willing to sacrifice, he was in.

“(What he’ll lose individually) doesn’t come to my mind,” Thompson insisted. “I just want to be efficient with what I do (next season), whether it’s averaging 10 points, 15 points, 20 points (per game). I just want to go out there and be effective. People have been asking me this question all the time, and I just try to point them to Manu Ginobili’s career.

“The guy, look at the sacrifices he made man. He’s been one of the best two-guards in the league for so long, and he’s got the respect of everybody in the NBA because he’s a winner. He’s obviously a multiple All-Star.”

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While the notion of landing a player like Durant may seem like a no-brainer no matter the context, this was a Warriors squad that won a league-record 73 regular season games and had a coach’s dream kind of chemistry. Their team motto, “Strength in Numbers,” reflected the depth that became their calling card. Yet in order to squeeze Durant and his maximum contract into their salary cap structure, the Warriors had to say goodbye to players like Andrew Bogut, Leandro Barbosa, Festus Ezeli, Marreese Speights and Brandon Rush who played – to varying degrees – such a big part in their success.

For Thompson’s part, he had less of a relationship with Durant than all the rest. Curry and Iguodala had bonded with Durant during Team USA play in 2010, when they won gold together at the FIBA World Championships in Turkey. Green and Durant had grown close over recent years as well.

Meanwhile, Durant joked during his introductory news conference on July 7 that the understated “(Thompson) texted me, (and) I didn’t know he had a phone.” If anyone was going to frown on the franchise’s plan, in other words, it was going to be him.

Instead, Thompson showed yet again why the Warriors are so lucky to have him. As Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski put it, to describe as ‘low maintenance’ doesn’t do his unique nature justice.

“He’s no maintenance,” Krzyzewski said. “He’s easy to play with. He doesn’t have the ball long. He can defend the point, the traditional point. He can defend the ball anywhere. He’s one of the best players in the league … Low (maintenance) is good, but no (maintenance) is great.

“(What the Warriors can do with Durant) expands because of their talents. They learn from their talents instead of trying to fit them into a traditional room. I know (Warriors coach) Steve (Kerr) will do this, because he lets his teams plays. They’ll grow together. They’ll make each other better, because they’re all that good.”

All the while, the getting-to-know-you period for Thompson, Durant and the rest of their Warriors super team has officially begun.

“It’s growing still,” Thompson said of the relationship. “I mean we’re just getting to know each other. I’m still in awe of the guy. I’m still kind of starstruck when I’m around him, like ‘Man, that’s Kevin Durant, you know? He’s on our team. That’s crazy.’ You get to know him more. He’s such a grounded individual. He’s such a normal guy. He just loves basketball. He’s actually a well-rounded person. He likes to talk about everything, whether it’s movies, photography, travel. He’s easy to talk to, and it’s great to have a teammate like that.”