Klay Thompson entered the NBA as the 11th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. After five All-Star selections and four NBA championships in a decade, Thompson has reportedly played his final minutes with Golden State.
Thompson quickly blossomed in his Warriors’ career. After being drafted 11th overall in 2011, the 6-foot-6 guard earned his first All-Star selection in 2015 and months later helped Golden State win the NBA Finals. From 2015-’19, he was one of the best two-way guards in the NBA and earned all five All-Star selections.
- Klay Thompson stats (2022-’23): 17.9 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 43.2% FG, 38.7% 3PT
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Unfortunately, age and serious injuries caught up to the electric guard. He suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in the 2019 NBA Finals, which sidelined him for the entire 2019-’20 NBA season. Then, on the doorstep of making his return, Thompson suffered a torn Achilles in November 2020 during a pickup game.
Thompson never quite recaptured the All-Star form he displayed pre-injury. After helping Golden State win its fourth championship in 2022, Thompson’s scoring averages dropped this past season. Now, months after turning 35, his career with the Warriors seems to be over.
- Klay Thompson stats (Golden State Warriors): 15,531 points, 2,795 rebounds, 1,843 assists, 676 steals, 413 blocks in 793 games played
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As reported by Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic, the Warriors are preparing to lose Thompson in NBA free agency. The two sides have had “close to no communication” since the window to negotiate with impending free agents opened almost two weeks ago. Now, a departure is the expectation.
Who will sign Klay Thompson?
Previous NBA rumors this offseason had already connected the Orlando Magic and Dallas Mavericks with interest in Thompson. Dallas recently created cap space by trading Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Detroit Pistons, while Orlando is among the leaders in cap space this summer. However, other teams are involved.
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According to The Athletic, the Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers all have considerable interest in Thompson.
The Clippers could have even more interest following Paul George’s decision to opt out of his contract and become a free agent. However, re-signing George is the bigger priority and re-signing with the Clippers would likely take them out of the mix for Thompson.
The opportunity to compete for a championship and multiple shots at revenge against the Warriors could compel Thompson to sign with either the Lakers or Mavericks. However, considering his ties to Los Angeles, the Lakers should be considered the favorites to land him.
