everthing

Warriors’ star Klay Thompson linked to Lakers deal

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Draymond Green with Klay Thompson and Steph Curry.

What the Golden State Warriors do with their roster over the next two years could reshape the NBA’s top.

Jordan Poole is out of his rookie contract, Andrew Wiggins is up for an extension, Draymond Green could cancel his contract a year early next season, and Klay Thompson has two years left to show two catastrophic injuries to his back incurred. to-back have not permanently stolen a step from him at either end of the floor.

Dubs owner Joe Lacob said his team won’t continue to escalate toward a potential $500 million roster/luxury tax bill in a year or two, meaning at least one of the aforementioned players will leave the bay sooner rather than later. , maybe even two.

An NBA executive spoke to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com on Monday, August 22, and said that if the Warriors make the best basketball decision possible, it’s Thompson that they should send the cases in.

The first is that he will not want to leave there voluntarily. If you ask around in the league, I don’t think there are many players happier in their situation than Klay Thompson in the Bay Area, who plays for the Warriors.

I think, sentimentally, they’ll keep him. But if you’re talking about losing Poole or Wiggins or even Draymond to keep a 34-year-old Klay Thompson, if you’re making the decision strictly about basketball… you should let Klay go.

But look, if they let him go, even at 34 years old, he’ll have teams that want him.

One of those teams, the director added, is the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Klay Thompson Tied To Future Lakers Super Team By NBA Executive

Chicago Bulls

GettyKlay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors celebrates a 3-point shot.

As Deveney noted, Thompson is from LA and the son of Mychal Thompson who won two titles as a member of the Showtime Lakers in the late 1980s.

Los Angeles is now stuck due to an inability to get rid of Russell Westbrook’s massive $47 million contract, but somehow the Lakers will be able to knock that financial albatross off their collective necks by next season. remove. By 2024, Deveney said, the Lakers would be ready to make a game for Thompson.

“That would be nice, if he could spend the rest of his career playing where his father won a ring,” the director told Deveney. “I’m not sure if he would leave the Bay Area if it wasn’t necessary, but if he had to pick a place it’s a good bet he’d want to go to LA. If they kept LeBron.” [James] and [Anthony Davis] together and adding Klay, it’s a mix that makes a lot of sense as long as Klay can remain a plus defender and a 40% 3-pointer. ”

James is also under contract in LA for the next two seasons with a player option on a third, and landing a perfect match through a shooter and floorspacer like Thompson could be just the type of move to entice James to stay with the franchise .

Warriors likely to telegraph Klay Thompson sometime next year

Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors.

GettyKlay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors is under contract with the team for two more seasons.

Thompson will remain under contract for the next two years, and the chronological order of Dubs’ moves alone will give the franchise a clue as to how they see the future of the five-time All Star at Golden State.

If the Warriors don’t offer an extension by mid-October, he will be put on a limited free pick next off-season, at which point a team like the Orlando Magic Poole could extend a maximum offer sheet with tactical holes in it that would make a match difficult for Golden State.

An exec previously told Deveney that Wiggins is likely to land a contract beyond his talent as starting at $35 million a year from the Warriors would be a discount compared to the maximum deal he’s eligible for.

Green has also commented that he wants to sign a max deal, although there are serious questions from NBA insiders as to whether he can really get that kind of money from anywhere, including Golden State.

However, if all three of these players have signed new deals by the time the 2023-24 season rolls around, it’s a good bet Thompson’s days in the Bay Area are over. If there’s a way, chances are he’ll stay. If two are gone, his return to the Warriors could be considered a near guarantee.

Much will likely depend on whether Thompson can find a career renaissance this coming season or whether the ACL and Achilles injuries have permanently aged his game.

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