Klay Thompson is a foundational pillar of the Warriors' dynasty, but would Golden State have won even more NBA championships if another star shooting guard took his place?
Twelve-year NBA veteran Patrick Beverley certainly believes so.
During a recent episode of "The Pat Bev Podcast with Rone," Beverley revealed he thinks Golden State would have won more than four titles if Paul George replaced Thompson.
"If you put Paul George in that role playing as Klay Thompson, playing with [Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala] at a point -- obviously we know Paul George a couple years ago, was in the MVP race," Beverley said.
"If you substitute those two, and we don't know, we're just going off what we think in basketball, I think that Golden State probably wins more championships."
While George is a superstar in his own right, it's a bold claim to assert that anyone could've stepped in and replicated, let alone exceeded the impact Thompson had on the Warriors while Golden State ruled the NBA realm. Particularly when George hasn't played in an NBA Finals during his 15-year career.
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Widely regarded as one of the greatest shooters ever to pick up a basketball, Thompson perfectly complemented Curry's superhuman perimeter shooting, creating a backcourt tandem the likes of which had never been seen before in the NBA.
Thompson spent 13 years in Golden State, earning five consecutive NBA All-Star selections while playing a pivotal role in ushering in one of the most dominant dynaties the league has ever seen as the Warriors won four championships.
On an individual level, George has the advantage when it comes to All-Star nods (9), All-Pro selections, (6) and All-Defensive honors (4). However, Thompson was a much more efficient shooter during the postseason while nearly equaling George's playoff-scoring output in their respective careers.
Thompson also earned a reputation for delivering when the lights were brightest in elimination games, an aspect that can't be overlooked when hypothesizing which player would contribute more to winning at the highest level the NBA has to offer.
Ultimately it's an interesting thought excercise, but Thompson's greatness and contributions to Golden State can't be overlooked.
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Twelve-year NBA veteran Patrick Beverley certainly believes so.
During a recent episode of "The Pat Bev Podcast with Rone," Beverley revealed he thinks Golden State would have won more than four titles if Paul George replaced Thompson.
"If you put Paul George in that role playing as Klay Thompson, playing with [Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala] at a point -- obviously we know Paul George a couple years ago, was in the MVP race," Beverley said.
"If you substitute those two, and we don't know, we're just going off what we think in basketball, I think that Golden State probably wins more championships."
While George is a superstar in his own right, it's a bold claim to assert that anyone could've stepped in and replicated, let alone exceeded the impact Thompson had on the Warriors while Golden State ruled the NBA realm. Particularly when George hasn't played in an NBA Finals during his 15-year career.
Golden State Warriors
Find the latest Golden State Warriors news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest shooters ever to pick up a basketball, Thompson perfectly complemented Curry's superhuman perimeter shooting, creating a backcourt tandem the likes of which had never been seen before in the NBA.
Thompson spent 13 years in Golden State, earning five consecutive NBA All-Star selections while playing a pivotal role in ushering in one of the most dominant dynaties the league has ever seen as the Warriors won four championships.
On an individual level, George has the advantage when it comes to All-Star nods (9), All-Pro selections, (6) and All-Defensive honors (4). However, Thompson was a much more efficient shooter during the postseason while nearly equaling George's playoff-scoring output in their respective careers.
Thompson also earned a reputation for delivering when the lights were brightest in elimination games, an aspect that can't be overlooked when hypothesizing which player would contribute more to winning at the highest level the NBA has to offer.
Ultimately it's an interesting thought excercise, but Thompson's greatness and contributions to Golden State can't be overlooked.
Pat Beverley boldly claims Warriors would win more titles with Paul George than Klay Thompson
Longtime NBA veteran Patrick Beverley boldy claimed the Golden State Warriors would've won more NBA championships with Paul George than Klay Thompson.
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