Klay Thompson is considered by some to be an elite talent. He wouldn't crack my top ten list of free agents to target. There are many names I'd much rather have on my team. When he's compared to players like Kevin Love, cooler heads, usually, prevail -- unless you're the Warriors' front office. However, there are names I'll throw up that get an odd response. Can I really think a player like Kyle Korver is better than Klay Thompson? Yes, yes I can.
What is Klay Thompson Good at?
Non-Scoring Stats
| Stat | Klay Thompson | Average SG |
|---|---|---|
| Points over Par per 48 Minutes | -1.2 | 0.0 |
| Defensive Rebounds per 48 Minutes | 3.5 | 4.5 |
| Offensive Rebounds per 48 Minutes | 0.6 | 1.0 |
| Assists per 48 Minutes | 3.0 | 4.5 |
| Turnovers per 48 Minutes | 2.3 | 2.8 |
| Blocks per 48 Minutes | 0.6 | 0.4 |
| Steals per 48 Minutes | 1.2 | 1.6 |
| Fouls per 48 Minutes | 3.9 | 3.5 |
Scoring Stats
| Stat | Klay Thompson | Average SG |
|---|---|---|
| Two Point Attempts per 48 Minutes | 12.1 | 11.6 |
| Two Point Shooting % | 46.4% | 47.0% |
| Three Point Attempts per 48 Minutes | 9.0 | 6.1 |
| Three Point Shooting % | 41.7% | 36.3% |
| Free Throw Attempts per 48 Minutes | 3.1 | 4.8 |
| Free Throw % | 79.5% | 79.7% |
Klay is amazing at shooting three pointers, and that's it! I know, his turnovers and blocks are above average. However, when we factor in assists and fouls; essentially the net impact of anything Klay does not related to shooting from beyond the arc, he's actually hurting his team. That's why we estimate he essentially spots the opponent two points per 48 minutes.
What is Kyle Korver Good at?
Non-Scoring Stats
| Stat | Kyle Korver | Average SG |
|---|---|---|
| Points over Par per 48 Minutes | 3.2 | 0.0 |
| Defensive Rebounds per 48 Minutes | 5.2 | 4.5 |
| Offensive Rebounds per 48 Minutes | 0.4 | 1.0 |
| Assists per 48 Minutes | 4.1 | 4.5 |
| Turnovers per 48 Minutes | 2.0 | 2.8 |
| Blocks per 48 Minutes | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Steals per 48 Minutes | 1.4 | 1.6 |
| Fouls per 48 Minutes | 2.9 | 3.5 |
Scoring Stats
| Stat | Kyle Korver | Average SG |
|---|---|---|
| Two Point Attempts per 48 Minutes | 4.3 | 11.6 |
| Two Point Shooting % | 47.9% | 47.0% |
| Three Point Attempts per 48 Minutes | 7.8 | 6.1 |
| Three Point Shooting % | 47.2% | 36.3% |
| Free Throw Attempts per 48 Minutes | 1.9 | 4.8 |
| Free Throw % | 92.6% | 79.7% |
Like Klay, Korver is an amazing threat from outside. In fact, all of Kyle Korver's shooting is efficient. He can also rebound and has a much more reasonable assist to turnover ratio.
As a bonus, last season Kyle Korver was the most consistent three-point shooter in the NBA (thanks, Coach Nick and Arturo!)
The reality about Klay Thompson's game is he is very one dimensional. If the NBA had a designated hitter rule and all Klay did was shoot threes, then he'd be great. Sadly, Klay has to do other stuff, and there he falls short. Kyle Korver matches or exceeds Klay in terms of threes. What's more, he actually had a more rounded offensive game and puts up some other decent stats as well.
A Few Caveats
An obvious point is age. Klay hasn't even hit twenty-five while Korver is in his thirties. Of course, Klay has yet to have an above average season, and Korver has been an excellent player the last several years. After this season Klay will likely command an expensive contract. Korver will cost around $5 million a season for the next three years.
One point I've heard on Klay is that his shot choices have to do with coaching. This may be true. We run into a classic argument, how much do we credit the player versus the coach? All I'll say is that as the Warriors have swapped coaches, Klay will have no excuse this season.
Conclusion
It really is rough to get the love for Klay. Without his three-point shooting, he has very little else. A player like Korver is more rounded, excellent at shooting, and cheaper. In fact, when it comes to the weakest position a player like Korver is perfect. A player like Klay worries me for being overpriced and in-love with midrange chucking. It seems obvious which player is a better choice. But like I said, that doesn't seem to be the consensus.