Golden State Bought an Emergency Starter After Thompson Went Down
Golden State acquired Kelly Oubre Jr. from Oklahoma City days after Klay Thompson suffered the Achilles injury that erased his 2020-21 season. The Warriors sent a protected 2021 first-round pick and Denver's 2021 second-round pick, using the trade exception created by the Andre Iguodala deal to absorb Oubre's salary. The timing explains the aggression: Golden State had just lost a starting wing and needed a two-way replacement before the season opened. Oubre was a legitimate NBA starter coming off 18.7 points per game in Phoenix, not a speculative depth addition.
Oubre Gave the Warriors One Uneven Season
Oubre played 55 games for Golden State, starting 50 and averaging 15.4 points and 6.0 rebounds in 30.7 minutes. His defense and athleticism helped cover part of Thompson's absence, but his 31.6 percent three-point shooting made the offensive fit less reliable than the Warriors hoped. The stint also ended after one year. Oubre signed with Charlotte in August 2021, leaving Golden State without a continuing player asset from the transaction. That short shelf life is why the canonical Warriors grade sits at C+ despite real regular-season production.
Oklahoma City Turned Both Picks Into Young Players
The protected first did not convey as a first because Golden State's 2021 selection stayed inside the protection. The obligation instead produced the No. 36 pick, Miles McBride. Oklahoma City packaged No. 36 with No. 34 to move to No. 32 for Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, who played 92 regular-season games for the Thunder over two seasons. The second incoming pick became No. 55 Aaron Wiggins. Wiggins developed into a dependable Oklahoma City rotation wing and had reached 198 career Thunder games when the club signed him to a multi-year contract in July 2024.
The Thunder Created More Durable Value From an Expiring Veteran
Oklahoma City had acquired Oubre only days earlier in the Chris Paul trade and was already prioritizing draft assets over an expiring veteran. Moving him to Golden State converted that short-term contract into two 2021 selections. One selection helped Oklahoma City trade up for Robinson-Earl; the other directly became Wiggins, who lasted far beyond Oubre's one Warriors season. Golden State's decision was understandable because Thompson's injury changed its immediate needs, but the completed value favored the rebuilding team. The Thunder received multiple years of young-player control while the Warriors received 55 games before Oubre left in free agency.
Final Verdict
Oklahoma City Thunder Win — Golden State C+, Oklahoma City A-. Golden State received 55 games, 50 starts and 15.4 points per game from Kelly Oubre Jr. before he left for Charlotte after one season. Oklahoma City received two 2021 draft assets: the protected first converted into No. 36 Miles McBride, which the Thunder used with No. 34 to acquire Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, and the other second became No. 55 Aaron Wiggins. Wiggins developed into a long-term Thunder rotation player and earned a multi-year contract in 2024. The Warriors solved an immediate injury problem, but Oklahoma City created the stronger and more durable return.