TNT broadcaster Charles Barkley has formed a list of his top three players going into the season.
Number one is LeBron James, and number two?
Klay Thompson, with Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard right behind him.
“I think Klay Thompson is the best all-around player, other than LeBron James, in the NBA,” Barkley said on the pregame show. “The only reason I have Klay Thompson is that he’s a better offensive player than Kawhi. But those are the second and third best players in the world.”
Kenny Smith chimed in, “So where is Kevin Durant?” Added Ernie Johnson: “What about Steph?”
“(Durant’s) right behind those guys,” Barkley said. “Steph is a great, great offensive player. He’s probably right behind Durant.”
So to recap: Barkley thinks the Warriors have three of the top five players in the NBA, but is picking them to lose the NBA Finals for the second straight year. Doesn’t really add up, Chuck.
One thing to note about Thompson in the preseason: He was not hesitant to fire up shots. Last season he was the only player in the league to attempt at least 1,000 shots within two seconds of touching the ball. There are going to be several nights when Thompson leads the Warriors in scoring. He progressed tremendously last season and carried the Warriors in a handful of playoff games Steph Curry missed.
Thompson was disappointing in the NBA Finals, though, which goes heavily against Barkley’s argument. Thompson scored less than 14 points three times against Cleveland, including in Game 7. He rarely goes cold, but when it happens, it’s noticeable.
Without question, Thompson’s role will be one of the most intriguing storylines to start the NBA season.