The Golden State Warriors are preparing to lose four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson in free agency, a parting of ways between a legendary dynasty and one of its legacy players, league sources said. Athletic.
Thompson and the Warriors have had no contact since the current free agent negotiating period opened nearly two weeks ago, and no offer has been made, team and league sources said. The Warriors, after other business, wanted to circle back and negotiate with Thompson. But he is not expected to wait as a secondary priority in their summer program, and his side feels the Warriors’ interest in a reunion is distasteful. The five-time All-Star guard is determined to find a new home elsewhere for his 14th NBA season and beyond, with both sides believing their 13-year run is over, league sources said.
According to league sources, the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks are expected to be strong contenders for Thompson. Several teams with salary cap space are expected to be interested in Thompson as well. With the Tim Hardaway Jr. salary dump, the Mavericks have already created enough cap space on the market to offer a full projected $12.9 million midlevel. The Lakers have the ability to make that happen depending on LeBron James’ next contract and other business.
Thompson’s expected departure and the possible departure of Chris Paul’s $30 million non-guaranteed contract leave Golden State on the market for the first time in nearly a decade as a full non-taxpayer intermediate waiver team, which will cost $73.2 million, league sources said. million from its books.
The Warriors are willing to participate in a sign-and-trade with Thompson to help his earning potential, the sources said.
Given the deep history between the Warriors and Thompson, the split came as a shock across the league, but as Thompson’s extension talks stalled, his role changed, and the team’s playoff losses have been trending in this direction for two seasons. The Warriors drafted (Moses Moody, Brandin Potziemski) and extended (Jordan Poole) potential replacements under him, and he never felt management’s love for his solid place in the franchise’s plans, league sources said.
And that continued this summer. The Warriors have maintained an outside desire to keep Thompson as part of the center, but they’ve made it clear that it has to come at the right price, in the right role, and he has to wait for the right time.
In a desperate search to improve the talent of the dysfunctional supporting cast around Stephen Curry, they have spent the past two weeks actively exploring the trade market, including the team’s search for free-agent-to-be Paul George. I know he is dead now.
Thompson felt a cold wind blowing from the only franchise he’d ever known, making the transfer and controlling communication and planning for an NBA future outside the Bay Area.
Required reading
(Photo: Sean M. Hafey / Getty Images)
