As the Golden State Warriors prepare for life without Klay Thompson, the four-time NBA champion is expected to be heavily courted by the likes of the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic this offseason.
Klay Thompson plans to have discussions with the Mavericks, Lakers, Clippers and 76ers in the opening hours of free agency, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2024
However, the Sixers and Magic are also interested in the decorated Paul George. Indeed, both teams also have a number of shared free agent targets this offseason, including Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. As a result, the money pools in Philadelphia or Orlando may dry up before Thompson can jump in.
If that happens, Thompson could take a rich but short-term deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Yet, the Thunder have prioritized Isaiah Hartenstein this offseason, looking for a big man who can fit beside Chet Holmgren. Furthermore, after flipping Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City’s backcourt now has the balance they were looking for. Though Thompson produces at a higher volume, the Thunder needed an accurate off-ball threat to play alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rather than a prolific one as Holmgren and Jalen Williams have demonstrated their potential as go-to scorers.
Warriors-Nuggets Sign-And-Trade Best Klay Thompson Deal
Ultimately, Thompson could be squeezed out of all three team’s plans.
Such is the reality for someone who was once one of the NBA’s premier players. Unfortunately for Thompson, while his 3-point prowess remains, his defense has declined significantly. As a result, he’s less valuable than players like George or OG Anunoby. Even Caldwell-Pope may be more valued by teams at this point of their careers, as the two-time NBA champion is one of the marquee 3-and-D wings.
As a result, Thompson isn’t just considering taking the MLE from the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, or Dallas Mavericks just to be petty. He may not have a choice.
With that being said, there are several teams who could look to upgrade with a Thompson sign-and-trade, giving him the money he desires for their own peace of mind.
Utah Jazz
Chief among these teams could be the Utah Jazz, who want to sign George themselves. With a number of young players and draft picks that could interest the soon-to-be-rebuilding Warriors, they can’t be counted out.
If they make a deal with Utah, they might get draft capital and a player like Collin Sexton. An efficient outside threat and fiery competitor, Sexton averaged 18.7 points per game last season. He upped his scoring average to 21.1 points per game as a starter. Yet, due to his size, they would either start him and have a small backcourt or move him to a sixth man role.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are another team that could consider a Thompson sign-and-trade. Rather than signing him with the $12.9 million non-taxpayers MLE, they could attempt to trade him for D’Angelo Russell. In this scenario, they’ll make a more enticing offer to Thompson, whose salary would have to match Russell’s expiring $18.7 million contract. They can then use their MLE to lure a player like Jonas Valanciunas.
Should they negotiate a deal for Russell, the Warriors will bring back a player who had one of the best stretches of his career in Golden State. In 33 games, Russell averaged 23.6 points and 6.2 assists per game, shooting 37.4 percent from 3. Though the Warriors only won 15 games that season, they were 8-25 with Russell. That isn’t to say they were world-beaters with Russell, but he certainly helped.
Denver Nuggets
If the Warriors execute a sign-and-trade with the Nuggets, it may be the best deal for Golden State.
In this scenario, the Warriors trade Thompson for Michael Porter Jr., an exciting and exceptional 3-point threat. Unlike Sexton, his size doesn’t hinder him from starting. Unlike Russell, his primary obstacle isn’t remaining confidence.
Indeed, Porter’s going to be available primarily because he is so confident. Rather than blindly going along with Nuggets head coach Michael Malone’s system, he’s sought more scoring opportunities. This is what should draw Denver to Thompson. Thompson may want to stay on the court in the fourth quarter, but he also knows his role. More importantly, his best role doesn’t him to have the ball, just to play off of those who do.
Small-Ball Warriors Back?
Of course, because of Golden State’s frontcourt logjam, the arrival of Porter puts them in a bit of a pickle. His shooting ability complements Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Kevon Looney, who are unreliable outside threats. Yet, all five of them can start.
Green has started for the last 11 seasons and that’s unlikely to change next season. Kuminga broke out as a starter last season and has done nothing to lose his spot. In theory, the Warriors could start Green as a small-ball center. They would go an opposite direction than the league is trending, but the Warriors didn’t become a dynasty by going with the grain.
More than anything though, this trade is about how the Warriors look when their core players retire. To that point, Green’s contract expires in 2026. Therefore, the long view is that Golden State is replacing Thompson and Green with Porter and Kuminga. Though there’s less defensive mastery in their new model, they’re even better offensively.
