Kelly Oubre Shines Despite Trade Rumors

Kelly Oubre’s name came up in recent trade discussions. But the chatter didn’t disrupt his energy on the court last night against the Timberwolves. In fact, a conversation with Steve Kerr gave the 25 year old the motivation he needed to perform at his best. And most importantly, ” Go get this fucking win”

Shams Charania from the Athletic reported a discussion that took place between the Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans. The conversation included exploratory talks that would send Oubre to the big easy, but those discussions didn’t go much further than that. Steve Kerr noted that it was “unfortunate” those discussions were made public because the Pelicans sought them out for a trade. Not the other way around.

Steve Kerr on the Kelly Oubre trade rumors: "It's unfortunate. Team called us and asked about him. Didn't even make an offer, asked about Kelly. Next thing it's online."

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 28, 2021

Last night, Kelly Oubre led the Warriors past the Timberwolves. He finished the game with 20 points on 7/9 shooting, while also contributing 9 rebounds, and three assists in 24 minutes of action. That’s not to mention the contagious energy he brought to the court. It was clear from the beginning that Oubre wasn’t going to let the trade talk affect his game on the court, and neither was Steve Kerr. If he could help it.

Well, it appears Steve Kerr’s words of encouragement worked.

Kelly Oubre said he appreciated the transparent post-trade rumor conversation he had with Steve Kerr and told him: "At the end of the day, I'm a Warrior. Let's go get this fucking win."

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 28, 2021

The Warriors did get the win, and Kelly Oubre was a huge contributor. He finished 2nd on the team in scoring (20), and also finished the game with 2 steals and a blocked shot. It appears his conversation with Kerr helped him get his mind right.

It isn’t easy to perform at a high level when your name is circulating in the rumor mill, but Oubre still put together his best performance of the season. Despite his name trending all over the internet.

Oubre is no stranger to chatter around the NBA. He is used to his name being in the spotlight. So far, he has proven he can elevate his game despite the uncertainty of his future. With that being said, I fully expect the trade rumors surrounding Oubre to continue. His $14m contract is the most tradeable on the team and I would be shocked if Bob Myers didn’t entertain trade scenarios that came his way.