Klay Thompson Predicted to Leave Warriors for $82 Million Offer
The Golden State Warriors are facing down the barrel of the end of an era in the coming weeks, as the NBA Finals conclude and the offseason begins.
Klay Thompson is expected to leave the Bay Area after a 13-year career with the Warriors that includes six trips to the Finals, five All-Star appearances, and four championship rings.
On Friday, June 14, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report predicted that Thompson would eventually sign a three-year contract worth nearly $82 million with the Orlando Magic, a playoff team in the Eastern Conference last season that lost in the first round to the Cleveland Cavaliers after an epic seven-game series.
The Golden State Warriors may prioritize financial stability this offseason, ending the Splash Brothers era with Klay Thompson’s free agency. The Warriors can pay whatever they want to keep him, but this may include committing to taxes, aprons, and limited flexibility.
Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic advanced this season with a strong (although brief) playoff run. The team is rich with cap room and eager to shoot. Thompson, 34, is a famous shooter, a household name, and an ideal fit for an Orlando team that defends effectively but desperately lacks floor space.
Thompson earned more than $43 million during the final season of his most recent five-year contract with the Warriors. Pincus did not clarify how much he believes Golden State is willing to offer Thompson in exchange, but he did state unequivocally that the Warriors would not match the $82 million sum he expects the Magic will bring to the table.
In any case, Thompson’s departure removes $43 million off last year’s books and would keep anywhere between $20 and $25 million off the 2024-25 cap sheet via a fresh offer. Coupled with the anticipated departure of veteran point guard Chris Paul, which the Dubs can accomplish by releasing him in the next few weeks and cutting $30 million in the process, the Warriors
Last year, head coach Steve Kerr temporarily replaced Thompson in the starting lineup with rookie Brandin Podziemski, signifying the young guard’s willingness to play a more significant role with Stephen Curry in his sophomore season.
If the Warriors are satisfied with that backcourt pairing, and second-year player Trayce Jackson-Davis has taken over a full-time starting role in place of Kevon Looney, who is also expected to play elsewhere in 2024-25, the team can look for a third star in the trade market.
Several names have been floated as prospective Golden State targets, including Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat and Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns. Neither man will be a free agent this summer, so their teams must demonstrate a willingness to accept a trade offer before any discussions can further.
A level behind elderly superstars like Butler and Durant is a class that includes Utah Jazz player Lauri Markkanen. The former All-Star is a talented big man who can shoot from downtown and has averaged 24.5 points per game in the last two seasons.
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