The Warriors didn't waste any time in improving their roster after losing Klay Thompson for the entire 2020-21 season to a torn right Achilles. General manager Bob Myers and Co. huddled together to make sure Golden State still is a title contender with Steph Curry and Draymond Green in their primes.
In the end, the answer was trading for guard/small forward Kelly Oubre. That said a lot to Curry, too.
"It speaks to our organization’s commitment to try to put the best roster out there," Curry said to The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears. "I knew we were going to be aggressive in free agency even without Klay’s injury. But it became more of a sense of urgency to find the right talented guys."
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SIGN UP HERE Oubre isn't Klay, but he doesn't have to be. He is a 6-foot-7 wing who turns 25 years old in just over a week and has improved on both sides of the ball every single year. This past season, the left-hander averaged a career-high 18.7 points per game. His 6.7 rebounds per game and 35.2 shooting percentage from 3-point range also were the best in his five-year career.
Curry has seen Oubre's improvement firsthand and believes the Warriors are the perfect landing spot for him.
"Kelly, he’s been around five years now, and I think he’s hungry to take that next step," Curry said. "Hopefully we have the culture and the structure to unleash him."
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Oubre also believes the Warriors are the best fit for him. The former first-round pick thinks he can help replicate Thompson's two-way skills and help the Warriors contend in a stacked Western Conference. To Curry, losing his fellow Splash Brother and bringing in plenty of new faces will be a test to his and Green's leadership.
He certainly seems ready for the challenge.
"It’s a huge opportunity for a lot of guys," Curry said. "Me and Draymond are ready for a leadership role and to be who we are as players, but it’s going to look different, and I think we’re going to feed off of that energy."