Klay Thompson's move to the bench was not as smooth as initially reported

The Golden State Warriors are adjusting to a new era and one of the biggest changes has been moving Klay Thompson out of the starting lineup. For the last six games, he's come off the bench averaging 19.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, shooting 44.1 percent from beyond the arc.

It's been a bounce-back stretch for Thompson, part of a hot streak for the team and publicly he has seemed to embrace the role. But Kendra Andrews of ESPN recently reported that Steve Kerr said, Thompson yelled at "him and some of the assistants" when the decision was made. The former All-NBA star later went back and apologized to the coaching staff and accepted the decision.

The four-time champion hasn't been quite the same since injuring his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals. The star then suffered a torn Achilles injury as he was returning from the knee injury that forced him to miss even more time.

Kerr told Thompson to embrace the role that "can help your team win" more games than they had otherwise. The veteran then decided to take a mental reset over the All-Star break to get his mind right. In the few games since the break, Thompson has been playing a lot better in his new role. As the season continues, will the veteran be able to continue to play well with bench units?

Is Klay Thompson better coming off the bench?

It's very easy to see Klay Thompson continue to have the success that he is currently having. His shooting was already on the upswing after early season struggles but coming off the bench at this point allows him to overlap with Chris Paul and against second-tier defenders. That will help boost his offensive efficiency and cover up for some of his declining defensive value.

It has to be tough to accept the current reality, especially for someone who has had as much success as Thompson has had. Especially when Steph Curry is still thriving. As he continues to age, the best route would be to take on a diminished role and give himself the best chance for the proper ending that the Splash Brothers deserve.