Klay Thompson Rumors: Free-Agent SG, Warriors Have 'Done Deal' to Re-Sign
July 1, 2019
The situation between Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors remains unchanged on the first day of NBA free agency, according to the New York Times' Marc Stein.
Stein reported the two sides "still have their done deal."
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday the Warriors planned to offer Thompson a five-year, $190 million max contract once free agency officially opened Sunday. Anthony Slater of The Athletic added it's a full five-year max that doesn't include a no-trade clause or a player option for the fifth year.
The Warriors are poised to lose Kevin Durant. Wojnarowski reported Durant agreed to a four-year, $164 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets.
Things had been quiet on the Thompson front, which led some to wonder whether either he or Golden State was having second thoughts about a max contract.
Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported the Warriors could discuss a sign-and-trade with the Nets centered around Durant. ESPN's Brian Windhorst speculated on The Jump that Golden State could land D'Angelo Russell as part of the Durant sign-and-trade (h/t Evan Massey of ClutchPoints).
Russell's arrival wouldn't necessitate Thompson's departure, though.
Thompson is going to miss most or all of the 2019-20 season as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered during the 2019 NBA Finals. That would allow Russell to slide into the backcourt alongside Stephen Curry for 2019-20 before Golden State takes another look at his fit in the 2020 offseason.
In the likely event Russell goes elsewhere, Thompson is clearly a large part of the Warriors' future even with the torn ACL. Their willingness to offer him the max shows how much they value him going forward.