For the first time throughout this dynastic run, Steve Kerr looked away from Klay Thompson and kept the veteran sharpshooter on the bench down the stretch as the Golden State Warriors attempted to stage a late-game rally during their 119-116 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. Does that signal the start of sweeping changes for Golden State? Is a Klay Thompson trade eventually on the horizon for the Warriors this season?

Thompson had arguably his worst game of the season against Phoenix as he finished with seven points on 2-of-10 shooting, including 1-of-8 from beyond the arc. The 33-year-old has since bounced back with undoubtedly his best game of the season on Thursday, when he scored 30 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field, including 8-of-12 from three. Unfortunately, Golden State still fell to the Los Angeles Clippers and dropped to 10-14 on the season.

Before he showed signs of life on Thursday, Thompson had been in a season-long slump. Just a year after leading the league in three-pointers made, the 4-time champ entered the Clippers game shooting a career-low 34.3 percent from downtown and averaging just 15.4 points per game this season.

We've seen this happen before, though. Remember when Thompson erupted for 30 points and eight three-pointers in Game 2 of their West semi-finals series against the Lakers? What happened after that? He went on to average just 10.5 points and shot 25.0 percent from the field and 27.8 percent from three the rest of the way as the Warriors bowed out in six games.

A Klay Thompson trade may be too extreme for the most die-hard of Warriors fans to consider. However, even some loyal members of Dub Nation apparently have seen enough and are ready to move on from Stephen Curry's splash brother.

Why the Warriors must trade Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson's struggles are just an underlying reason why the Warriors should consider moving on from him. Going through slumps is not alien to shooters like Thompson. Often, they just power through them and keep shooting until they get their rhythm back.

It's easy to see that Thompson is eager to get out of the rut. His struggles are affecting him mentally and the only way he knows how to get out of that is by continuing to let that ball fly — even if it's not a good shot. He often forces attempts that are not within the flow of the offense and more often the not, kills the possession. And he's only hurting himself and the Warriors with that mentality.

But Thompson is too prideful. He keeps taking those shots because he believes they are good shots and he is capable of making them. When in reality, he just can't knock those kinds of shots down anymore on a consistent basis.

It's easy to forget that Thompson went through two of the most grueling injuries known to sports. But for a competitor like the five-time All-Star, he won't make that an excuse. That's why he still believes in his heart that he can still get back to playing at an elite level. However, that mentality is only making things worse for the Warriors because he is constantly taking shots he shouldn't be taking.

As the coach, Steve Kerr should really enforce his way by doing as he did on Tuesday versus Pheonix — bench his starting shooting guard for guys like Podziemski or Moses Moody, who are playing more effective at this point.

Though Thompson acknowledged his “crap” play as of late and understood the decision, will he be fine if Kerr continues to keep him out of the finishing lineup in games he doesn't perform well?

If Thompson's ego won't allow him to realize that he needs to take a step back — a trade might be the best way to move forward.

What could the Warriors even get for Klay Thompson?

That's a really valid question. If the Warriors are even going to consider trading Klay Thompson, is there even a viable deal out there for them?

ESPN's Zach Lowe said it best during an episode of NBA Today a few weeks back:

“If we’re gonna sit here and say, ‘Trade Klay Thompson,’ you do gotta tell me where and for what?” Lowe said in response to Kendrick Perkins. “He’s a $43 million expiring contract who… is not playing well. So what am I giving up and what am I getting back for Klay Thompson? It’s much harder to actually do it — forgetting the sentiment, forgetting the history, forgetting the statue — just mechanically doing it is difficult.”

Lowe makes a lot of sense here. What is the trade market even for Klay Thompson right now?

Are rival teams willing to give up anything substantial for what looks like an over-the-hill version of a future Hall of Famer who's gone through two of the worst injuries in sports? Defensively, he doesn't look the same. Offensively, his mindset isn't right.

Sure, perhaps he may thrive in another system. A new environment could reinvigorate the five-time All-Star and light up a fire in his belly should the Warriors move on from him.

But is Golden State willing to accept scraps for Klay Thompson? Most likely not.