Klay Thompson is ready to turn out to be an unrestricted free agent Sunday for the primary time in his profession.
The 34-year-old guard has spent his whole profession with the Golden State Warriors since being chosen with the No. 11 choose within the 2011 NBA draft. After 2,481 three-pointers made and 4 championships within the Bay Space, Thompson enters the open market this summer season in seek for a house for the previous few seasons of his profession.
The place will Thompson find yourself? Listed here are seven groups that may very well be calling his identify:
The straightforward reply right here, in fact, is that Thompson stays the Bay Space and finishes off his Corridor of Fame profession in a Warriors jersey.
Thompson has stated many instances that he needs to play his whole profession with Golden State. The entrance workplace has stated the staff needs the identical, as normal supervisor Mike Dunleavy reiterated Monday that he hopes they will work one thing out in free company.
Thompson reportedly needs a minimum of three years on his subsequent contract. Are the Warriors keen to make that dedication to maintain the Splash Brothers collectively within the closing chapters of guard Steph Curry’s profession? Or are there higher strikes on the market to assist the Warriors pursue one other title earlier than Curry retires?
Thompson has acknowledged the largest factor he needs to do over the ultimate years of his profession is win. The San Antonio Spurs, who completed final season with the fifth-worst report within the NBA (22–60), won’t qualify as a successful staff but, however they have arguably the perfect younger constructing block within the league.
Heart Victor Wembanyama, the highest choose within the 2023 NBA draft, was named the unanimous Rookie of the 12 months after averaging 21.4 factors, 10.6 rebounds and a league-high 3.6 blocks per contest final season. The 7’4″ phenom is already an issue, and the Spurs ought to compete yr in and yr out as quickly as they encompass him with a aggressive roster.
San Antonio has loads of work to do to turn out to be a playoff staff, a lot much less chase championships, however Thompson hitching his wagon to “Wemby” and legendary Spurs coach Gregg Popovich would not be his worst transfer.
The Dallas Mavericks soared via the Western Convention playoff bracket this yr to make their first NBA Finals look within the Luka Dončić period.
If Thompson signed with the Mavericks, he would supply the staff with elite three-point taking pictures and sure would come off the bench with Dončić and fellow guard Kyrie Irving beginning within the backcourt.
Dallas would want to get artistic to make it work, nonetheless. The Mavericks already projected to function across the first tax apron subsequent season, and Thompson is anticipated to make round $20 million subsequent yr and past on his new contract. An indication-and-trade with Golden State will in all probability be the route for Dallas to take if Thompson finally ends up sporting a Mavericks jersey subsequent season.
The Orlando Magic have lengthy been named as a possible touchdown spot for Thompson if he decides to depart the Warriors. The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported final week that there’s “mutual curiosity” between Thompson and the Magic’s entrance workplace.
Thompson would make lots of sense for Orlando. The Magic are a staff on the rise, ending final season fifth within the Jap Convention with a 47–35 report and falling simply in need of advancing to the convention semifinals—dropping in Recreation 7 of their sequence towards the Cleveland Cavaliers. Orlando boasts a younger, gifted core with their prime 4 scorers final season—ahead Paolo Banchero, ahead Franz Wagner, guard Jalen Suggs and guard Cole Anthony—all 23 years outdated or youthful.
The Magic want one other outdoors shooter. They completed twenty sixth within the NBA final season with a 35.2% three-point clip and ranked lifeless final in three-pointers made per recreation (11.0).
Thompson is not fairly the identical offensive risk he as soon as was, however he nonetheless drained 3.5 triples per recreation final season—which might have led Orlando—and knocked down three-pointers at a 38.7% clip.
Thompson becoming a member of the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder in all probability would have made extra sense earlier than the staff acquired guard Alex Caruso in a commerce with the Chicago Bulls final week, but it surely’s nonetheless price exploring.
The up-and-coming Thunder appear to be they will be sitting towards the highest of the Western Convention for years to return. Oklahoma Metropolis snagged the Western Convention’s No. 1 playoff seed on the ultimate day of the 2023-24 common season with a 57–25 report.
With such a younger roster led by guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, ahead Jalen Williams and heart Chet Holmgren, the Thunder enter this offseason with the fifth-most projected cap area (through Spotrac) within the NBA. They need to be capable of signal a big identify in free company to bolster their probabilities subsequent season.
The Thunder had been the perfect three-point taking pictures staff within the NBA final yr (38.9%) however what staff could not use one other gifted outdoors risk? Plus, Thompson’s veteran presence may very well be helpful in a locker room during which all however three gamers underneath contract subsequent season are 24 years outdated or youthful.
The NBA is a league of narratives, and what’s a greater narrative than Thompson becoming a member of the group that his father, Mychal Thompson, helped win two NBA championships in 1987 and ’88?
Thompson grew up in Los Angeles rooting for the Los Angeles Lakers and dreaming of sooner or later taking part in at what’s now referred to as Crypto.com Area. Mychal Thompson, 69, at present works because the Lakers’ radio analyst.
Storylines are good, however the Lakers and Warriors must put collectively a really artistic sign-and-trade deal to make it work. Buying and selling away Thompson, one of many best gamers in franchise historical past who will sooner or later have a statue of himself outdoors Chase Heart, to a division rival does not really feel probably.
After failing to advance previous the Jap Convention semifinals but once more, the Philadelphia 76ers enter this offseason as one of the intriguing groups to look at within the open market.
The 76ers solely have three gamers underneath contract subsequent season—heart Joel Embiid, guard Ricky Council IV and heart Paul Reed (guard Tyrese Maxey is a restricted free agent and is anticipated to signal a max contract extension with Philadelphia this summer season).
The 76ers make lots of sense for Thompson. They’re dedicated to successful now and constructing a roster round Embiid and Maxey. In addition they have sufficient monetary flexibility that would make a proposal with sufficient cash and years to lure Thompson to Philadelphia.
Watching Thompson splash three-pointers in a 76ers uniform would look unusual, however maybe distancing himself from the Warriors with a aggressive staff in a distinct convention is the way in which to go.