What is going to happen with Klay Thompson? This is the question everyone is asking pertaining to the Golden State Warriors this offseason, as the future Hall of Fame sharpshooter is less than a week away from being an unrestricted free agent that can sign with any of the other 29 teams around the league in NBA free agency.
The situation developing with the Warriors and Thompson is complicated for numerous reasons. Thompson has been with the Warriors, Stephen Curry, and Draymond Green his entire career. He has even said multiple times that he wants to spend the rest of his career with Golden State and retire next to his fellow stars. The problem at hand is that Thompson and the Warriors appear to be far apart on what the shooting guard's value actually is.
Before the Warriors won their recent championship in 2022, the team extended Curry on a $215 million contract. After winning this championship, Andrew Wiggins was next in line with a $109 million contract. Green was the most recent beneficiary of the Warriors paying up, as he got $100 million last summer. Everyone expected Klay to reach an agreement with Golden State at some point during the 2023-24 season, but those discussions never advanced into anything serious.
Now, after Thompson's role with the team declined and he was reverted to the bench for a part of the regular season, there are some around the league who believe now is the time for the five-time All-Star to move on. Thompson, sources said, has been extremely frustrated with the way the Warriors have handled his contract negotiations dating back to before this past season. With the Warriors on the verge of some tough financial decisions, Thompson leaving in free agency continues to be a very realistic scenario that could play out.
In the event that Thompson decides to part ways in free agency, these three teams may just be the best realistic landing spots for the Warriors legend.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Fresh off claiming the 1-seed in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder have already made a move this offseason by trading Josh Giddey for two-time All-Defensive guard Alex Caruso. In terms of value, this was a fantastic move by Sam Presti and the Thunder front office, as Caruso brings the toughness and defensive grit needed for this organization to make a serious championship push.
Ahead of free agency, the Thunder are going to be one of the only teams in the league with enough cap space to pursue some of the best talents available. After leading the league in three-point shooting this past season, the Thunder could look to pursue Thompson, who has been known to torch the franchise in the past.
It was not too long ago that he made 12 triples against Oklahoma City, and this is the type of perimeter weapon the Thunder need in order to increase their chances of making it to the NBA Finals. Thompson's championship experience and leadership would be invaluable to the Thunder. Best of all, he could get paid and be comfortable with his role as a secondary scoring option.
This does not mean that the Thunder are actively pursuing or entertaining the idea of luring Thompson away from the Warriors. Oklahoma City simply has the means to pursue him in free agency should they choose to do so. Based on their style of play and the roles they have available on their roster, Thompson would fit in perfectly.
Orlando Magic
A lot of noise has been made about the Orlando Magic being the top suitor for Thompson if he were to leave the Warriors in free agency. However, there has been “no traction” between the two sides this offseason, according to The Athletic's Anthony Slater.
If the Magic were to pursue Klay, they likely wouldn't want to tie themselves down to a long-term, high-paying contract. Paolo Banchero is going to be eligible for a contract extension after the 2024-25 season, and Franz Wagner only has one year left on his current rookie deal. In order for Orlando to retain both of their stars, they will need to be willing to pay them, which is why giving Thompson a lot of money this offseason may not be the smartest move. A two-year offer would be the most likely scenario for the Magic regarding the Warriors star.
As far as fit goes, Thompson is exactly the type of player the Magic need. Just this past season, Orlando shot 35.2 percent from deep as a team, which ranked 24th in the NBA. Their 11.0 made threes per game ranked dead last.
Thompson, who would bring championship experience with him to this inexperience Magic team, immediately makes the Magic a better offensive team because of his shooting skills. For a 47-35 team, this could be the missing piece to their puzzle.
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks were just in the NBA Finals, so why would they want to make a drastic roster move? Well, the Mavs are operating as an over-the-cap team that has numerous players with friendly contracts when it comes to making a trade. Tim Hardaway Jr. ($16.1M), Josh Green ($12.6M), and Maxi Kleber ($11M) could each be moved if the team can add a significant upgrade next to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
If there is any kind of player mold that Dallas should be searching for to put next to their two All-Stars, it is someone like Thompson. The Mavericks were a very average three-point shooting team this season, and they don't need more playmakers. Doncic and Irving can do enough for this team, but if they don't have capable shooters around them, the Mavs can't be successful.
This is exactly why Dallas fell to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.
PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford are great secondary talents. Derrick Jones Jr. is also a player the team would like to retain. However, the Mavericks need a go-to shooter who is a threat to make four, five, sometimes six, or more threes in a single game. This not only opens up their offense for Doncic and Irving to get to the rim, but it also presents a path for the Mavericks to make it back to the NBA Finals.
There is no way the Mavs can open up cap space to sign Thompson in free agency, which is why this would need to be a sign-and-trade. The Warriors have no reason to help a Western Conference rival, which is why it would be hard to envision them agreeing to these terms.
Follow Us
Subscribe