Klay Thompson’s time with the Golden State Warriors — 13 seasons and 4 rings — seems about to finish. And Paul George may slide into his place within the Bay Space.
Thompson and the Warriors stay nowhere shut in negotiations for a brand new contract and his agent has been testing the waters — and Thompson could possibly be catching passes from Luka Doncic subsequent season. There’s a “sturdy mutual curiosity between Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks,” Marc Stein reported in his newest publication.
On the court docket, it’s straightforward to see how Thompson suits. He will not be the participant he was at his peak, however the 34-year-old averaged 17.9 factors a sport final season whereas capturing 38.7% from past the arc. He may step into the function that belonged to Tim Hardaway Jr., whom the Mavericks simply traded to the Pistons (though that would require Thompson coming off the bench).
The issue is that getting Thompson to Dallas would require a sign-and-trade commerce with Golden State, the place the Warriors may drive a tough discount. Thompson reportedly is searching for a contract value nicely above $20 million yearly however all of the Mavericks can provide to a free agent is the $12.9 million mid-level exception, and Dallas has that cash focused to deliver again Derrick Jones Jr. (which Mavs president Nico Harrison stated was the group’s high offseason precedence).
The Warriors and Mavericks may work out a sign-and-trade, one thing like Josh Inexperienced and Maxi Kleber for Thompson re-signed at $22 million a season. Would Dallas need to surrender two rotation gamers for a 34-year-old two-guard? On the opposite facet, is a commerce like that ok for Golden State, or wouldn’t it desire a decide, too? The Warriors are into the second apron, so there are restrictions on any commerce and the way a lot cash they will take again.
The Warriors are centered elsewhere, having “prioritized” getting Paul George as much as the Bay Space, Stein studies.
George and the Clippers are nowhere close to a contract extension — George desires 4 years and $221 million, his max, whereas the Clippers reportedly are providing extra like three years, $150 million. George regarded on the free agent market and will nonetheless go that route — Philadelphia nonetheless has curiosity even when these talks have cooled, and Orlando is on the market — however the expectation across the league now could be that George will choose into his $48.8 million in a while Saturday and ask for a commerce. The Clippers are asking for lots in any deal. Denver and the Clippers talked George commerce — at the very least preliminarily — however the Clippers needed Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji and a “important quantity of draft capital” in accordance with Anthony Slater and Sam Amick of The Athletic. That was too wealthy for Denver.
A Clippers and Warriors commerce could be difficult as a result of each groups are over the second apron of the tax, so this must be dollar-for-dollar. A commerce like Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Chris Paul — with simply sufficient of his wage assured to make the mathematics work, then the Clippers can waive him — and a first-round decide for George may work on paper, however will each side go for it? The Warriors need to hold Kuminga, the Clippers may ask for Moses Moody plus Kuminga, then there’s merely the query of whether or not Clippers proprietor Steve Ballmer would log out on sending George to a division rival.
Each Thompson and George appear destined for brand new groups subsequent season, however placing collectively trades for both of them is a posh jigsaw puzzle.
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