The Golden State Warriors should've traded for Kevin Love when they had the chance. Instead, they may have angered two of their starters and made life a lot tougher on rookie coach Steve Kerr.
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Bleacher Report's Ric Bucher is reporting that both Warriors power forward David Lee and guard Klay Thompson are irate that the team dangled them to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Kevin Love in a deal that ultimately imploded.
Bucher added that it was the Warriors that initiated the talks with the Timberwolves in trying to acquire Love, who was prepared to leave Minnesota after this season.
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General manager Bob "Myers' attempt to be as honest as possible is appreciated, but it has come with a price," Bucher wrote. "While attempts to reach Lee or his representatives were unsuccessful, a source close to Thompson said the shooting guard is 'pissed' that the Warriors legitimately considered moving him."
Nor does it help the Warriors that they fired coach Mark Jackson, with whom Thompson was close, to hire Kerr.
Bucher argued that the Warriors' clumsy pursuit of Love is the driving force behind their disgruntled players' angst.
"But there's a way to go about pursuing a trade that doesn't invoke collateral damage or repercussions," he wrote. "First, don't aggressively pursue one to the point it's beyond denying and then not be willing to pull the trigger. If you're moving players who have been good soldiers, do them a solid by trying to move them somewhere they'd welcome; otherwise, you're sending the wrong message to the rest of your team that quiet sacrifice doesn't really earn you anything. One executive also warned that getting right with the players' agents after a failed trade is just as important."
The Warriors are considered one of the NBA's up-and-coming teams, which is a big part of the reason Kerr jilted Phil Jackson over the New York Knicks' coaching vacancy to come to the Bay Area.
But now they've angered Thompson and Lee - and perhaps Harrison Barnes, who might've been jettisoned to the Orlando Magic for Arron Afflalo had the Love trade come to fruition.
Thompson has one year left on his rookie contract, but the No Guts No Glory website says any notion that he might give the Warriors the hometown discount to remain could be gone after the team's failed pursuit of Love.
Do you think Klay Thompson will be with the Warriors after this season? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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