Warriors star Klay Thompson has been with the same team for his entire career. But now, on the eve of free agency, he’s thinking about a new partnership with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
“Klay Thompson is intrigued about playing with the Lakers and LeBron James, provided he re-signs with the Lakers,” wrote Brad Turner. “Thompson plans on talking with the Lakers, as well as Dallas.”
Klay, 34, is at the end of his contract this summer and he was supposed to negotiate an extension with his longtime team. But after a miserable Warriors season, it seems GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. isn’t willing to give Klay the kind of deal that he wants. The two sides remain far apart on a contract and they have had limited conversations since the start of the season.
The latest reports indicate that Klay is all but gone from the Warriors and both sides have prepared for their inevitable breakup. While Thompson’s future remains unknown, there are a number of teams believed to be seriously interested, including the Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron James, a 4x champion, is currently a free agent right now after opting out of his deal but that will change soon when he re-signs a fresh contract to ensure he can play with his son. It will be a historic moment for the Lakers, but they will need more than that to keep up with the rising threats in the West. Klay, even in this state, is someone who can raise their ceiling to another level.
His days with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green will never be replicated but playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis will give all sides an opportunity to make one last run. Even at this stage of their careers, the Lakers duo remain among the best in the game, and adding a sharpshooter, championship veteran, and team player like Klay could make a big difference for them.
Thompson, a 5x All-Star, averaged 17.9 points per game last season, and his shooting from deep will provide crucial floor spacing around James and Davis. With multiple title runs under his belt, Klay surely wouldn’t want to end up somewhere he couldn’t compete, and that limits his potential landing spots by a significant amount.
Klay fills all of the teams’ needs if he can stay healthy for most of the season, and LeBron is even willing to take a pay cut if it means the Lakers can add him to the rotation.
Of course, Thompson is expected to take his time with this decision and it will likely come down to the Lakers or Mavericks as his next destination. It’s an unexpected turn of events for the former Warriors star but I think it will be good for him to branch out on his own and create his own legacy outside the shadow of Steph and the Warriors.
After two major injuries, it remains to be seen how much Klay has left in the tank but he is betting on himself this summer and expects it to pay off in full.
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