NBA News: Warriors’ Steve Kerr sends clear message to Andrew Wiggins after Klay Thompson’s departure

After 13 seasons and four championships with the Golden State warrior, Klay Thompson continued his career with the Dallas Mavericks. While losing a key figure, head coach Steve Kerr believes Andrew Wiggins is more than capable of stepping up in Thompson’s absence.

Kerr laid out his expectations for Wiggins and made it clear how he can fill the void left by Thompson. “I already told him: six 3-point shots per game.” Kerr told Kerith Burke of NBC Sports Bay Area. “He’s a really good 3-point shooter. His numbers went down a little bit last year, but since he’s been here it’s 39, 40 percent.”

Kerr also emphasized that Wiggins needs to be aggressive. “I want a lot of threes and I want a lot of attacks to the rim.” he said. “He shot over 80 percent from the foul line in the second half of last season. He seems very comfortable in every aspect of the game.”

With Thompson’s departure, Kerr also emphasized the importance of Wiggins becoming the team’s second-leading scorer behind Stephen Curry. “And let’s be honest: With Klay gone, we need him to be our second goalscorer after Steph, and we know he’s fully capable of doing that.”

Kerr reflects on Thompson’s departure

In an interview with Tim Kawakami on the TK ShowKerr reflected on Thompson’s departure and admitted there were signs the longtime Warrior was ready for a change.

“Yes, there were signs” Kerr said. “None of us knew exactly what was going to happen, but we all wanted him to stay. I wanted Klay to remain a lifelong warrior– it just felt like the right thing to do. But only Klay knows what’s best for him. I think he knew at the end of the year that he was ready for a new chapter.”

Kerr expressed his full support for Thompson’s decision, adding: “I’m happy for him. I think this will be a great step. He joins a strong team with two top-notch creators in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, which should open up a lot of looks for him. A career change at the end of your career can sometimes be just what you need to recharge.”

Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist fluent in English and Spanish who specializes in football, NBA and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 at Mundo Deportivo US, where he made his first strides as a writer. Gianni has covered major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals and Grand Slam tournaments such as Roland Garros. His ability to report on events in real time and write under pressure has made him a valuable member of a world-class team of journalists. In 2024, he moved to Bolavip US, where he covers a wide range of sports including European soccer, MLS and the NBA. Gianni earned his degree in Communications from Deportea in Buenos Aires, Argentina.