Don’t Set My Brother Up

Draymond Green is asking followers to decrease their expectations for Klay Thompson as the previous Golden State Warriors star begins a brand new chapter with the Miami Heat.

Green believes Thompson can nonetheless assist Miami, however he doesn’t need individuals anticipating the participant he was almost a decade in the past.

Draymond Green Defends Klay Thompson

Thompson agreed to a two-year, $11.5 million contract with the Heat after leaving the Dallas Mavericks.

The transfer provides Miami a veteran shooter, but it surely additionally brings questions on how effectively Thompson will match the group’s demanding “Heat Culture.”

Green addressed these questions on “The Draymond Green Show,” the place he additionally pushed again towards what he sees as unfair stress on his former teammate.

“I don’t like how everybody is trying to act like ‘It’s Klay Thompson,'” Green mentioned. “The reason I don’t like it is because I feel like everybody is trying to set Klay up for failure.”

According to the NY Post, Green mentioned Thompson shouldn’t be judged as if he have been nonetheless the identical participant who helped the Warriors win championships alongside Green and Stephen Curry.

“I’m going to say it here right now. Let’s stop acting like it’s 2017 Klay going to Miami,” Green mentioned.

The message was easy: Thompson can nonetheless be helpful, however Miami mustn’t anticipate the youthful model of him.

Green in contrast the state of affairs to Ray Allen becoming a member of the Heat in 2012. He mentioned he would relatively see Thompson tackle an analogous function as a substitute of being requested to recreate his outdated famous person kind.

“That’s the role I’d expect of Klay,” Green mentioned. “Don’t try to set my brother up. Like you’re about to get the 2017 Klay, so the moment you don’t, y’all can bash him.”

Draymond Green Raises Questions

Green additionally raised a unique query about Thompson’s character. He puzzled how the relaxed veteran will regulate to the Heat’s demanding tradition.

“I found it interesting when I saw they said, ‘Klay going to Miami,'” Green mentioned. “I was like, ‘Oh, that Heat Culture thing.’ I don’t know how that’s going to work for Klay because Klay moves to the beat of his own drum.”

Thompson, nonetheless, seems prepared for the problem. He mentioned he’s excited to be pushed bodily and believes his previous accidents have ready him for tough moments.

Thompson missed main time after tearing his ACL in 2019 and his Achilles in 2020. Since returning, he has struggled to match his earlier manufacturing. Last season with Dallas, Thompson performed 69 video games and averaged 11.7 factors, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He shot 38.3 p.c from three-point vary, a profession low, as per BleachReport.

For Green, that doesn’t imply Thompson has nothing left. He nonetheless believes his former teammate can shoot at a excessive stage.

“He’s going into year 16 of his career; we obviously know the injuries he’s faced,” Green mentioned. “Yes he is going to provide shooting, because he shoots the lights out of the ball.”