On the first episode of Paul Pierce‘s new show ‘The Truth Lounge,’ the Hall of Famer and Jason Crowe discussed the Golden State Warriors‘ move to promote rookie guard Brandin Podziemski to the starting lineup and bring Klay Thompson off the bench. The duo equated it to the Boston Celtics benching Ray Allen in favor of sophomore guard Avery Bradley during the 2011-12 regular season. Pierce said,
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“When I saw [Klay Thompson] go to the bench, it was the year we had Avery Bradley, [who was] starting to emerge and we were still a contender and we had brought Ray [Allen] off the bench because we thought that was the best thing going. Doc was like, ‘Ray, come off the bench.’ That’s the reason Ray left. I’m telling you… Motherf**ker went to Miami and won a chip.”
During the 2011-12 season, Bradley featured heavily for the Celtics and started games when Allen or Rajon Rondo were out due to injuries. However, with 13 games left in the regular season, head coach Doc Rivers benched Allen and played Rondo and Bradley in the backcourt.
Bradley started the Celtics’ final 13 regular season games and the first 10 playoff games before a season-ending shoulder injury saw Allen return to the starting lineup. Boston reached the Eastern Conference Finals and pushed the Miami Heat to seven games but couldn’t reach the NBA Finals.
In the offseason, Allen turned down a two-year, $12 million contract extension offer from the Celtics and shockingly joined the Miami Heat on a three-year, $9 million deal. The move soured his relationship with most Celtics players, but Bradley had only nice things to say about the veteran guard,
“Ray was a great tutor. I’m sad that he’s gone, but we all wish the best for him. But he definitely meant a lot. He helped me out every single day.”
While the Celtics were dumped in the first round of the playoffs, Allen went on to win the 2013 NBA title with the Heat. In Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, the veteran guard hit one of the most clutch shots in NBA history. For years, Allen wasn’t on talking terms with Pierce and Kevin Garnett, but they crushed their beef after Kobe Bryant’s untimely death in 2020.
Klay Thompson’s new role with the Warriors
The Golden State Warriors moved Klay Thompson to the bench in favor of rookie guard Brandin Podziemski. The veteran guard has had an inconsistent campaign and has been a shadow of his past self on the offensive end. Podziemski has exceeded expectations and has contributed on both ends of the court in his rookie season, prompting the Warriors to insert him into the starting lineup.
Thompson responded to being benched with a season-high 35 points against the Utah Jazz in the Warriors’ last game before the All-Star break. However, he shot 1-of-9 from the field for three points in his subsequent outing against the Lakers, encapsulating the inconsistency that led to his ousting from the starting lineup.
Thompson will become a free agent at the end of the season. The Warriors will likely offer him a team-friendly contract and a role off the bench. However, there’s a serious possibility that the franchise icon will leave the team to land a starting role and a sizeable contract. Thompson is 33, and his next contract will likely be the last big deal he signs. The four-time NBA champion will prioritize life after basketball over loyalty to the Warriors.
All signs point to a parting of ways between Thompson and the Warriors after 13 seasons together, like Allen and the Celtics did in 2012.
