NBA Rumors: Warriors' Klay Thompson 'Open to All External Options' in Free Agency

Longtime Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson "intends to test free agency" this offseason and is "open to all external options," according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

He added that the Dubs want to retain Thompson and offered him an extension before the 2023-24 season, but Thompson will weigh other options this summer.

He further fueled speculation that he might be leaving when he unfollowed the Warriors on social media:

Thompson, 34, has spent his entire NBA career with the Warriors, winning four titles and earning five All-Star Game bids and two All-NBA third-team selections along the way. He has paired with Stephen Curry to give the Warriors the best three-point shooting backcourt in NBA history.

His trio with Curry and Draymond Green—and the short period with Kevin Durant as well—led to the NBA's most recent dynasty. Breaking up Thompson, Curry and Green would be the end of an era.

But the veteran sharpshooter wasn't the same player last year. His 17.9 points per game was his lowest mark since the 2012-13 campaign. After shooting over 40 percent from three in his first eight seasons, he's dipped below that mark in two of his past three campaigns.

Once one of the better perimeter defenders in the NBA, Thompson has lost a step in that regard. The Warriors even brought him off the bench for 14 games last season, the first time since his rookie year he was asked to play such a role.

There's no doubt that Thompson remains a solid player and one capable of affecting a game with his perimeter shooting. But he's no longer one of the truly elite three-and-D players in the NBA, and it will be fascinating to see what his market looks like in free agency.

It's very possible he'll ultimately decide on a reunion with Golden State, especially if other teams around the NBA don't break the bank for him in free agency. But it's never felt more possible that he could be changing addresses.