NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Klay Thompson replacements Warriors should acquire

Beal, who has been underappreciated by virtue of playing on the anonymous, rebuilding Wizards, might be the most underrated player in the league as his 30.5 points per game last year wasn’t even met with an All-Star nomination. With the Wizards staring down a rebuild centered around Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdija, Beal and John Wall might both be on the move this offseason, with Beal being more likely given what he could bring Washington in return. Golden State’s dynasty might be over, but they can still make some noise in the west provided they go for broke and trade for Beal.

Thompson is on the wrong side of 30, and he will have had two consecutive season-ending injuries, both of which are extremely difficult to return from. If the Warriors want to stay alive in the West, they need to operate as if prime Klay is never coming back, and that could necessitate the need for a star to be acquired.

Beal might not be an all-world defender, but you can on one hand the number of pure scorers in the league that are clearly better than him. If Draymond is still able to do his thing down low and Steph remains as lethal as ever from beyond the arc, going for broke and getting Beal could keep Golden State a viable championship contender in the West.