It’s the end of an era for the Golden State Warriors. Barring a last-minute reversal, four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson will leave the only franchise he’s ever known as a free agent. There have been no real contract negotiations between the Warriors and Thompson, and Tim Kawakami of The Athletic even said Saturday that “some heartfelt goodbyes have taken place between Klay and senior members of the Warriors organization.”
With Thompson on the way, there’s been a lot of excitement about his next destination. And while Thompson looks for a new home, NBA insider Marc Stein says Golden State “is willing to participate in a sign-and-trade to help Thompson settle with his next team, despite the growing chill between the parties.”
It’s not clear if Thompson necessarily needs a sign-and-trade deal with the Warriors to get where he wants to go, but it’s the most likely scenario.
Klay Thompson – Free Agent Targets
Stein first reported the possibility of a move to the Mavericks a few days ago, and he continues to drum up support that both parties have mutual interest. In fact, Stein even suggests that “some in Lakerland” believe Dallas is the favorite to sign Klay Thompson. The Los Angeles Lakers are considered the other most likely destination for the Warriors star, but there could be other options depending on how free agency plays out. The Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic have also been mentioned as possible Thompson targets, though both teams are interested in Paul George and are focused on him and other targets with their salary cap space at the moment.
Thompson would need to do a sign-and-trade deal to join the Mavericks, but Stein says it’s not yet clear what that would look like. Dallas offloaded Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Detroit Pistons to create the flexibility needed to make Thompson a “competitive three-year offer.” Maxi Kleber is a natural salary filler for a sign-and-trade, and young prospect Josh Green is also a notable possibility. Draft capital could also play a role.
Dallas appears to prefer Thompson over Derrick Jones Jr., although they would also like to bring Jones back. Signing Thompson and re-signing Jones is considered the Mavericks’ “A-scenario” in free agency. Stein mentions Naji Marshall as a possible destination if Jones goes elsewhere.
As for the Lakers, Saturday brought news that LeBron James could get less on his next contract to allow for a key mid-level exception, with Thompson reportedly an option. However, that mid-level exception is only worth $12.8 million for next season, and it’s unclear if Thompson is willing to take such a pay cut.
If he doesn’t, but still wants to go to Los Angeles, a sign-and-trade with the Warriors would have to be negotiated. While Austin Reaves isn’t going anywhere, the Lakers have other mid-sized contracts that could be used to match salary, such as D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt.
Either way, Klay Thompson is leaving Golden State, but the Dubs are willing to work with him to get him what he wants and get something in return so they don’t lose a franchise legend for nothing.
