NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Klay Thompson replacements Warriors should acquire

VanVleet’s ascension has been nothing short of astonishing, as the 6-foot-1 guard rose from an undrafted afterthought to quality rotational player on a title-winning Raptors team to an elite second scorer that could become a No. 1 scorer this offseason. VanVleet will have plenty of suitors, as he has shown the potential to be either a No. 1 scorer on an average team or a secondary gunner on a team like Toronto that fancies themselves as title contenders. Golden State might not have had VanVleet in their plans this offseason, but they’ll need to get in touch after the Thompson injury.

While VanVleet is known for his ball-handling and shooting, he has quietly become one of the better defensive guards in the league by virtue of playing for a coach in Nick Nurse who preaches defense. This should help him in Golden State, who is losing a former All-Defensive team performer in Thompson.

VanVleet has made no bones about the fact that finances will heavily impact his next destination, so the Warriors might need to get creative with moving money around. Additionally, replacing a 6-foot-7 wing who can guard multiple positions with a 6-foot-1 combo guard isn’t ideal. However, Golden State is losing 22 points per game in Thompson, and VanVleet could help them replace some of the offensive stat-stuffing Thompson did on a nightly basis.