The whirlwind of the NBA offseason has hit the Western Conference hard. Well, nothing has technically been decided as of yet, but with less than a week until the start of NBA free agency, the futures of Paul George with the Los Angeles Clippers and Klay Thompson with the Golden State Warriors continue to look very uncertain.
Whereas George has a player option to make a decision on with the Clippers, Thompson is set to enter unrestricted free agency due to the fact that he hasn't received the offer he's looking for from the Warriors. Although these are two different situations with two different teams, they are oddly comparable and linked with one another. Better yet, the decisions made regarding George and Thompson will drastically impact the Western Conference as we know it.
The Warriors have long been championship contenders in the West. While Stephen Curry has been the driving force behind Golden State's championship glory, Thompson has been equally important as one of the league's greatest three-point shooters. Curry got paid in 2021, Andrew Wiggins got paid in 2022 following their championship, and Draymond Green got paid in 2023. It is now Thompson's turn, but his major leg injuries and recent decline during the 2023-24 season have put the organization in a very tough spot in terms of offering him equal pay to Curry and Green.
Thompson has been extremely frustrated with the way the Warriors have handled his contract negotiations dating back to before this past season, league sources told ClutchPoints. The Warriors would love to retain Thompson and have him return on a team-friendly deal. At this juncture, there is no momentum for an agreement to be reached before free agency begins on June 30. As a result, Thompson is preparing to give real thought to the idea of leaving the Warriors.
The Clippers still believe in their chances of contending for a title with Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, who is a free agent this summer, and George. The thing about George is that he has been eligible for an extension throughout the 2023-24 season. After the Clippers came to terms on a new deal with Leonard, it was expected that they would do the same with George. That never happened, and now the nine-time All-Star has to make a decision on his $48.78 million player option for the 2024-25 season. Despite not being a free agent just yet, there are quite a few teams showing a level of interest in pursuing George.
More importantly, these same teams may have interest in George should he opt into his contract and seek a trade from the Clippers.
Paul George to be traded?
Initially, the belief of many entering the month of June was that the Clippers would ultimately find common ground with Paul George on a new deal to keep him alongside Kawhi. Owner Steve Ballmer is never afraid to spend money on his team, and that became clear when he locked in Leonard on a new three-year, $152.4 million extension. With a new extension for George expected to follow suit, no news came, and everything was silent in Los Angeles.
The Clippers and George have been far apart in contract negotiations, as the All-Star is seeking a max-level deal that the team has been unwilling to offer to this point, sources said. Even with the organization still having the rights to negotiate with George prior to his opt-out date, there has been no movement on any new deal for the Clippers. This has led to the idea of George leaving Los Angeles growing stronger every day we inch closer to the start of free agency.
Even though the Clippers don't believe George deserves to be paid more than Leonard, the bottom line is that he has essentially been left out. The organization obviously favors Leonard more than George at this point, hence why the star could be feeling a certain way ahead of his contract decision date. In addition to having the ability to opt out and leave the Clippers on the open market this offseason, George may very well opt into his player option in order for the Clippers to work on a trade. It is even possible for a deal to be on the table during or right after the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday night.
This is a very interesting situation that the Clippers are dealing with regarding George because of the option that he has. Just because he opts out doesn't mean he is leaving, and just because he may opt in doesn't necessarily mean the star is staying. George initially wanted a new deal that was at least equal to what Leonard was making. Now, that price has likely risen due to his contributions without Leonard on the floor, as well as the Clippers unwillingness to meet his demands. George has suitors in free agency, which does put the Clippers in a somewhat tough spot since they have very limited options to replace him.
Whether or not a team would be willing to pay him a full max as an unrestricted free agent remains the question at hand. The Philadelphia 76ers have long held interest in George. Daryl Morey and the Sixers will have more than $50 million to play with in cap space, not including an upcoming extension for Tyrese Maxey. The New York Knicks have long been mentioned as a suitor for George, as have the Orlando Magic. Contrary to the Knicks, who are likely to pursue a new long-term deal with OG Anunoby, the Magic have enough cap space for a new max-contract player like George.
The trade market is where things could get very interesting regarding George and the Clippers. Should he opt into his contract and seek a trade with the organization, numerous teams could suddenly emerge as viable destinations for one of the best two-way wings in the league. There are some around the league wondering if the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat would consider pursuing George in the event that he wants to depart Los Angeles. The Houston Rockets are another team vying for a star-level player this offseason.
But the most fascinating team that has a level of interest in and could pursue George this offseason is the Warriors, league sources said. Of course, everything for the Warriors and a potential pursuit of George revolves around what their cap situation is going to look like.
Golden State has long paid one of the highest tax bills in the league to maintain its championship success. The four championships this franchise has won since 2015 speak volumes to the leadership at the very top of the organization. The Warriors are going to do what it takes to win at the end of the day, and if Thompson is to leave, that could open up a small window for Golden State to trade for George while remaining under the second apron tax line.
Warriors options with Klay Thompson's potential departure on horizon
Like the Clippers and George, the Warriors could have agreed to an extension with Thompson at any point during the 2024-25 season. That did not happen.
Now, with the NBA Finals over, the Warriors could have once again looked to finalize an agreement with Thompson, who is a pending unrestricted free agent, during the league's new negotiation period. No deal is on the table for Klay, and talks are essentially frozen, according to The Athletic's Anthony Slater. So, what does this mean for Thompson's future with Golden State, the organization he has spent all 13 years in the league with?
Thompson has long said that he wants to be with the Warriors for life and retire alongside Curry and Green. In fact, Curry, Green, and head coach Steve Kerr have all been avid supporters of Klay getting a new contract with the Warriors behind the scenes, sources said. The idea of Thompson leaving the Warriors is very real now that contract negotiations have reached a standstill. The Warriors still value Thompson's contributions to their historic success, sources said, yet some in the organization do not view him as an essential part of their core group moving forward with the emergence of Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski.
Out of all the contract negotiations around the league, the conversations that will be had between Thompson and the Warriors before a decision is made in free agency will be unique because of the relationship these two sides have.
“We want him back. We've said that all along,” general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. told reporters on Monday, via Warriors on NBCS. “We are hopeful he will come back, but as far as the specifics of discussions and those types of things, I think it is important to keep kind of in-house. When we figure out a solution to all of that, we'll have news for you.”
In the event that Thompson departs the Warriors to pursue a new opportunity, the focus of the organization will rapidly turn to finding a way to surround Curry with championship talents. Golden State recently guaranteed Kevon Looney's $8 million contract for the 2024-25 season, and Gary Payton II has opted into his $9.1 million player option as well. With Thompson out of the picture, the Warriors would then likely guarantee Chris Paul's $30 million contract, immediately making him available in trade discussions.
The Warriors, league sources said, have interest in Paul George and could explore other opportunities involving the contracts of Paul, Looney, and Payton this offseason. These three players will combine to make $47.1 million during the 2024-25 season, enough to pursue George's $48.7 million contract in a hypothetical trade.
Including the recent contract decisions of Payton and Looney, the Warriors' payroll currently stands at about $144 million for next season. If you include Paul's $30 million non-guaranteed deal, that pushes their payroll to roughly $174 million, slightly under the first apron. Potentially re-signing Thompson to a deal that exceeds $20 million per season, like he is seeking, would cause the Warriors to exceed the $189 million second tax apron, and area owner Joe Lacob doesn't want to be in this tax area, sources said. That is the main driving force behind the Warriors possibly being involved in a big offseason trade.
Regardless of whether Thompson sticks around or not, the idea of moving Paul, Looney, and possibly even Payton remains relevant. Although they have options if Thompson departs in free agency, this isn't necessarily the scenario the Warriors would like to see play out. Klay is a Warriors legend, and this organization has always been known for taking care of its own. Time will tell if the future Hall of Fame shooting guard can find common ground for one last contract with the only place he's been able to call home in the NBA.
Other notes and intel on contract situations:
Chicago Bulls: The belief heading into the final month of the regular season was that DeMar DeRozan would find common ground on a new contract with the Chicago Bulls after being offered a two-year, $80 million deal by the team. After the Bulls went ahead and traded Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey in a move that left many around the league scratching their heads, DeRozan's future is now more uncertain.
Rival teams are anticipating that DeRozan will hear out offers that come his way when the free agency period begins on June 30, potentially leading to a departure from Chicago. As HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported in May, the Clippers could be a very intriguing spot for DeRozan if they were to lose George this offseason,
Cleveland Cavaliers: As reported ahead of the trade deadline, Donovan Mitchell is not going anywhere and intends to sign a lucrative max extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers, league sources told ClutchPoints. Despite their rocky finish in the postseason and JB Bickerstaff's departure, Mitchell remains committed to winning in Cleveland. It is possible that the Cavs and Mitchell will reach an agreement on a new extension worth upwards of $209 million, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Miami Heat: There continues to be a lot of uncertainty surrounding Jimmy Butler's situation with the Miami Heat. Butler is seeking a max contract extension from the Heat this offseason, but Pat Riley and Miami's front office have not shown a willingness to offer said contract. The six-time All-Star still has one more year left on his contract before having to make a decision on a $52.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season. The Heat remain focused on contending for a championship, sources said, and have given no indications that they are willing to shop Butler in trades this offseason.
New Orleans Pelicans: Early talk around the league pertaining to the New Orleans Pelicans making Brandon Ingram available in trade discussions is that there isn't much interest being generated. Ingram is entering the final year of his contract and is interested in the idea of testing free agency in 2025, sources said. This has resulted in teams pulling back on the assets they would be willing to offer the Pelicans for Ingram this summer.
However, teams like the Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, and Houston Rockets could all show some level of interest in the former All-Star forward. The Jazz are wanting to add a star-like player this offseason and have the capability to offer Ingram a long-term destination alongside Lauri Markkanen. The Hawks, on the other hand, are going to be running into some financial problems and would very likely look to cut costs rather than invest in a player like Ingram. The Nets and Rockets are both interested in weighing their options pertaining to star players that become available this offseason, sources said.
New York Knicks: The New York Knicks and Leon Rose have done a fantastic job of assembling a competitive roster while maintaining financial flexibility. Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart both signed team-friendly deals, and it appears as if Jalen Brunson is next in line to do so. While he could opt to wait until 2025 and sign a $270 million max contract, all indications point in the direction of Brunson reaching an agreement on a four-year extension that would have an annual average value of just under $40 million. Brunson is fully committed to helping the Knicks reach their championship aspirations.
Philadelphia 76ers: Tobias Harris is expected to depart the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency, sources said. The Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, and Jazz are all expected to be teams with a level of interest in Harris.
(ClutchPoints' Tomer Azarly contributed to reports on Paul George and the Clippers)
Follow Us
Subscribe