The departure of Klay Thompson from the Golden State Warriors marked a significant shift for the team, but new insights reveal that friction within the locker room had been escalating well before Thompson’s exit. The rising presence of Jordan Poole and his quest for a starting position reportedly created tension that complicated team dynamics during the 2022-23 season.
Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard explained on The Tom Tolbert Show that Thompson increasingly felt challenged by Poole’s ambitions, which contributed to the Warriors eventually deciding to trade Poole after the 2022-23 season. This internal competition, rather than public disputes, created a difficult environment.
Sources Highlight Influence of Leadership and Locker Room Dynamics
Kawakami emphasized that the tension stemmed not from head coach Steve Kerr but from leadership within the players, specifically Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. He stated,
“Like Jordan Poole, maybe, but that wasn’t Steve. We know that wasn’t Steve. That was Draymond. They had to move off of Jordan for two reasons. Well, Draymond and Klay.”
He further detailed Thompson’s discomfort with Poole’s steady push to claim a starting role:
“And I’ve heard this more and more that Klay was not comfortable with this guy pushing him and pushing him and pushing him. And Klay thought, ‘I’ve earned this starting role. Why is this guy keep saying that he should be the starter?’”
Regarding the tension, Kawakami added,
“And not publicly, maybe, so much as just in the way he carried himself. And that’s fine for a young player, but they couldn’t keep that guy, who got punched by Draymond, not his fault and who was making things tense with Klay. So that’s Jordan. Whatever we think about where his career is now, I wouldn’t put that on Kerr.”
Conflict Amid Transition and High Expectations
Although Jordan Poole never vocally demanded Thompson’s starting spot, his attitude and confidence created noticeable friction during a period of shifting roles. Thompson had returned from a lengthy injury absence midway through the 2021-22 season to help Golden State capture their fourth NBA championship in eight years.
Meanwhile, Poole had blossomed into a critical contributor in Thompson’s absence, demonstrating impressive scoring and playmaking. The Warriors rewarded Poole with a lucrative four-year, $140 million contract before the 2022-23 season, signaling their commitment to him as a cornerstone moving forward.
Instead of forming a stable shared backcourt partnership, the Warriors struggled to integrate these talents smoothly. Poole was assigned a bench role, while Thompson reclaimed his starting position, setting the stage for underlying discord.
A Tense Environment Culminates in a Breaking Point
The 2022 training camp exposed deeper issues when Draymond Green’s punch on Poole during practice shook the team’s chemistry. This incident epitomized the simmering unrest and strained relationships among the players.
Golden State’s 2022-23 campaign suffered from inconsistency, particularly in road games, and they failed to defend their championship, being eliminated in the second playoff round. Following the season, the team decided to part ways with Poole, trading him to the Washington Wizards, a move interpreted as a strategy to reset the culture and salary structure.
Shifting Careers Signal the End of an Era
Thompson completed his final season with the Warriors in 2023-24 before signing with the Dallas Mavericks in free agency, marking a new chapter in his career. The internal clash between Thompson and Poole highlighted how fragile team balance can become, even among proven champions.
The era defined by Thompson and Stephen Curry, known as the Splash Brothers, heavily shaped the Warriors’ identity. However, Poole’s emergence and the related locker room tension underscored challenges faced when integrating new talent within established teams striving to maintain championship standards.