When it comes to the NBA offseason, there is always unexpected news that comes out of left field. That came on Saturday when it was reported that Golden State Warriors four-time champion Klay Thompson is expected to leave and look for a new opportunity in free agency.
To no surprise, the Los Angeles Lakers were connected to Thompson with LeBron James ready to take a pay cut for the right player. While Thompson is not the player he once was, his 3-point shooting is still elite and could aid in head coach JJ Redick’s vision in wanting to shoot more triples.
Another interesting wrinkle to this is his father, Mychal, is a commentator for 710 AM ESPN for the Lakers alongside John Ireland. That’s in addition to playing in L.A. for five seasons, so he naturally has expressed that he wants his son to come back home:
Me too ???
— Mychal Thompson (@champagnennuts) June 30, 2024
Sounds right to ME
— Mychal Thompson (@champagnennuts) June 30, 2024
It is clear what Mychal wants Klay to do with his impending free agency, but there remains competition for his surfaces in the Dallas Mavericks and L.A. Clippers.
However, if the Lakers are able to get one of the best shooters ever for the mid-level exception of about $13 million, it is hard to pass up. A caveat to Klay’s possible departure is whether he wants to aid Golden State in getting something in return via sign-and-trade. Preferably, L.A. would like to sign Klay outright, so they could use other assets to round out their roster.
As free agency kicks off, it will be intriguing to monitor how long the career 41% 3-point shooter takes to mull his decision. With his father having ties to the organization, him growing up a Lakers fan and LeBron James trying to lure him away, it could be too much to pass up in the end.
Mutual interest with Warriors free agent Klay Thompson
With signs pointing to an eventual departure from the Warriors, interested teams were yet to be reported. Now, they are revealed with the Lakers being in the mix as his hometown team and that could play a major role in his decision on where to sign.
As the Mavericks are expected to make a push for the four-time champion, there remains a mutual interest with Thompson and L.A. Perhaps this is laying down the foundation for a return back home to contend for a championship with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
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