Klay Thompson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

FA Rumors: Lakers, LeBron, Harden, Klay, George, Magic, DeRozan, More

June 30th, 2024 at 7:31am CST by Luke Adams

Having confirmed on Saturday that LeBron James would be open to accepting less than the maximum salary in certain scenarios, agent Rich Paul tells Dave McMenamin of ESPN that the idea would be for the Lakers to add an “impact player” using that extra flexibility.

James Harden, Klay Thompson, and Jonas Valanciunas are a few of the “impact” players who might fit that criteria, sources tell McMenamin. While it might be difficult to convince Harden or Thompson to settle for the mid-level (worth approximately $12.9MM), a sign-and-trade could also be a possibility to land that sort of player. Acquiring a player via sign-and-trade would hard-cap the Lakers at the first tax apron for 2024/25, but so would using more than the taxpayer portion ($5.2MM) of the mid-level exception.

If the Lakers aren’t able to add a player of that caliber, the plan would be for James to seek a max deal to return to the Lakers, Paul tells McMenamin. If LeBron does accept a pay cut, the most likely scenario would see him accept a two-year deal with a 2025/26 player option so that he’d have the ability to negotiate a raise a year from now, sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

Elsewhere on the Lakers front, after tendering a qualifying offer to Max Christie to make him a restricted free agent, the team would like to retain the 21-year-old guard, envisioning him as a rotation player next season, sources tell Buha. However, if L.A. hard-caps itself by adding an impact player via sign-and-trade or the MLE, fitting a new deal for Christie under the first apron could be a challenge.

Here are a few more rumors from around the NBA ahead of the official start of free agency on Sunday evening:

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN referred to the Sixers this morning on SportsCenter as a “legitimate threat” to sign Paul George away from the Clippers (hat tip to Adam Zagoria of NJ.com), while Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story that Philadelphia has a “significant measure of renewed hope” in its ability to land the star forward.
Although the Magic are one of three teams to secure a meeting with George, the free agents connected most frequently to Orlando by league insiders are Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein and Nuggets wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, per Stein.
There’s a belief that DeMar DeRozan may wait to see what happens with George’s free agency before making a decision, according to Stein, since he’d have a better feel for his options outside the Bulls at that point. Multiple reports this offseason have suggested the Clippers could be a suitor for DeRozan (likely via sign-and-trade) if they lose George.
While the Lakers have emerged as a legitimate option for Klay Thompson, the Mavericks have made the veteran sharpshooter their top free agent priority, even ahead of starting small forward Derrick Jones, says Stein. Dallas hasn’t ruled out the possibility of signing both players – that would require a sign-and-trade for Thompson and an MLE deal for Jones – which would be the team’s true “Plan A,” Stein writes, adding that Naji Marshall continues to be mentioned as a likely Mavs target if they lose Jones.
The Clippers and Spurs are among the teams expected to have interest in Chris Paul if the veteran point guard ends up being waived by Golden State and becoming a free agent, reports Stein.

Warriors Preparing To Lose Klay Thompson

June 29th, 2024 at 4:58pm CST by Luke Adams

With Klay Thompson just 24 hours away from reaching unrestricted free agency, the Warriors are preparing to lose their longtime sharpshooter and four-time NBA champion, league sources tell Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

According to Charania and Slater, the Warriors and Thompson haven’t had much contact as of late and the team hasn’t made him a formal contract offer since the exclusive negotiating window opened after the NBA Finals.

The club has expressed interest in circling back to the five-time All-Star after addressing other business, including figuring out what to do with Chris Paul and his non-guaranteed $30MM expiring salary.

However, Thompson’s side believes Golden State’s interest in a reunion has been “disingenuous,” per The Athletic’s duo, who say he “never felt reciprocated love from management about his firm place in the franchise’s plans.”

As a result, the 34-year-old is determined to find a new home, league sources tell Charania and Slater, and both sides believe their 13-year run together is about to come to an end.

The Lakers, Clippers, and Mavericks are expected to be among Thompson’s top suitors, though all three teams project to be over the cap and would have to negotiate a sign-and-trade. Golden State has been open to the idea of accommodating such a deal in order to maximize Thompson’s earning potential, sources tell The Athletic.

Multiple clubs with cap room are expected to be in the mix too, per Charania and Slater. The Sixers and Magic are among the cap-space teams that have been linked to the longtime Warrior in recent days.

Marc Stein, who reported on Friday night that there’s “strong” mutual interest between Thompson and the Mavericks, tweets that LeBron James is hopeful the Lakers can make a bid to challenge Dallas for the veteran swingman. For his part, Thompson is intrigued by the Lakers possibility and plans to talking to both them and the Mavs, among other potential suitors, tweets Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times.

Klay Thompson, Mavericks Have “Strong Mutual Interest”

June 28th, 2024 at 9:05pm CST by Tristan Tucker

“Strong mutual interest” is expected between Klay Thompson and the Mavericks when free agency opens on Sunday night, NBA insider Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack post.

Reports have long indicated the lack of contact between Thompson and the Warriors, the team with which he’s won four rings and played since 2011. Now, Stein says he’s heard from multiple sources that the Mavs are likely to emerge as the favorites to sign the Splash Brother.

Having agreed to send Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Pistons, the Mavericks will have some additional financial flexibility and are expected to be able to make a competitive multiyear contract offer to the five-time All-Star, Stein writes. However, with no cap room available, Dallas would likely need Golden State’s cooperation for a sign-and-trade deal — it’s not “immediately clear” whether such a deal could be negotiated, Stein acknowledges.

It’s also not known whether the Mavs would be able to retain Derrick Jones Jr. if they were to land Thompson, Stein adds. Jones, who was an instrumental piece en route to the Mavs’ NBA Finals appearance, is poised to sign with Klutch Sports for representation as he prepares to enter free agency, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

As has been reported, teams with cap space like Orlando and Philadelphia are expected to show interest in Thompson if he doesn’t return to the Warriors, but it’s believed that his preference is to remain in the Western Conference, according to Stein.

Southwest Notes: Rockets, Mavs, Thompson, Pelicans, Cissoko

June 28th, 2024 at 2:27pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets will have enough cap flexibility to use the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception this offseason, but Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required) is skeptical that they’ll do so. As Feigen explains, Houston will have nearly all of last year’s rotation players back, with No. 3 pick Reed Sheppard joining the mix and Steven Adams and Tari Eason returning from injuries, so there may not be a role available for a mid-level signee.

Since the mid-level exception can be used for the first time in 2024/25 as a de facto trade exception, Feigen expects Houston to be fine with the idea of hanging onto it into the regular season in case it comes in handy on the trade market.

Within that same story, Feigen also briefly touches on the contract situations for Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green, who will both be eligible for rookie scale extensions beginning in July. While the Rockets are expected to explore deals with both players, they’re unlikely to offer either Sengun or Green a maximum-salary contract, says Feigen.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Marc Stein adds another team to the list of possible Klay Thompson suitors, reporting on Substack that the Mavericks will explore the feasibility of adding the veteran Warriors sharpshooter. Dallas will have a little flexibility below the first tax apron after agreeing to send Tim Hardaway to Detroit, but won’t have cap room, so a sign-and-trade deal looks like the only way the Mavs would have any chance at Thompson.
Pelicans head of basketball operations David Griffin vowed in April that the front office would operate with a sense of “urgency” to upgrade the roster this offseason. He reiterated that message this week, as Christian Clark of NOLA.com relays. “We need to be aggressive,” Griffin said. “I think it’s really a positive thing for our organization that we’ve won more games three years in a row. We’ve built what we’ve built in terms of players wanting to stay here. That’s tremendous. That’s not why we are doing this. We are doing this to win.”
Spurs forward Sidy Cissoko underwent an arthroscopic clean-up procedure on his right knee last month, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required), who says Cissoko’s participation in Summer League could be limited as a result. While the Spurs are hopeful that the 2023 second-rounder will be able to suit up at the Las Vegas Summer League, he won’t play in the California Classic Summer League that tips off on July 6, per Orsborn.

Warriors, Paul Agree To Push Guarantee Date Back To Sunday

June 28th, 2024 at 12:20pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors and Chris Paul have agreed to push back his salary guarantee deadline from Friday to Sunday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Paul’s $30MM salary for 2024/25 will now become fully guaranteed if he remains under contract through June 30 rather than June 28. The move will give Golden State a couple more days to continue exploring trades involving Paul’s expiring contract.

Paul, who turned 39 in May, remained productive in 2023/24, averaging 9.2 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per game in 58 appearances (18 starts) for the Warriors. He posted a shooting line of .441/.371/.827.

While those are solid numbers for a backup point guard, they don’t warrant a $30MM investment. Still, rather than simply waiving the 12-time All-Star, the Warriors have been scouring the trade market to see if they can use his expiring salary to accommodate a trade.

The NBA’s salary-matching rules only count the guaranteed portion of a player’s cap hit for outgoing purposes in a trade (his incoming value for a trade partner would be his full $30MM), so in order to use CP3 as a trade chip, Golden State will have to partially or fully guaranteed the contract. That scenario would benefit Paul, who wouldn’t make any of that $30MM otherwise if he’s waived, so he has some incentive to lend the Warriors a hand by giving them more time to find a deal.

Paul George is one possible trade candidate who has been linked to the Warriors this week, with Marc Stein reporting on Substack that Golden State has been “prioritizing the pursuit of George above all other business.” The Clippers forward would have to pick up his 2024/25 player option and request a trade for that to be a feasible possibility.

What happens with Paul could have an impact on the Warriors’ negotiations with Klay Thompson. The team will be hard-capped at the second tax apron in 2024/25 after agreeing to send out cash in a trade on Thursday, so there may not be room under that apron to acquire another player with a significant salary and then re-sign Thompson.

Free Agent Rumors: KCP, George, Thompson, Bridges, More

June 28th, 2024 at 6:58am CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets swingman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is declining his 2024/25 player option and becoming an unrestricted free agent, appears more likely than not to switch teams this offseason, Marc Stein writes at Substack, citing league sources.

Stein, who has previously mentioned the Sixers and Magic as potential suitors for Caldwell-Pope, once again names them as teams who are well-positioned to make runs at the 31-year-old if they so choose, noting that Denver has luxury tax and apron concerns to consider. The veteran wing is considered to be a “strong possibility” for Orlando, per Sam Amick and Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

According to Stein, the Mavericks are another potential suitor to watch for Caldwell-Pope, with league sources saying there’s mutual interest between the two sides. However, Dallas is operating over the cap and would need to make a sign-and-trade deal to make a competitive contract offer to Caldwell-Pope. There’s a sense that the Nuggets won’t have interest in accommodating a sign-and-trade with a conference rival, Stein writes, even if it means losing their starting shooting guard for nothing.

Here are a few more free agent rumors and notes from around the NBA:

Within a look at Paul George‘s potential free agency, Amick and Slater of The Athletic confirm that the Warriors‘ interest in the Clippers star is “legitimate” if he decides to go the opt-in-and-trade route instead of declining his 2024/25 player option. The Nuggets also recently had interest in George in that scenario, but don’t appear prepared to pursue a deal that would see them give up Michael Porter Jr. and “significant” draft capital, per The Athletic’s duo. For what it’s worth, Denver only has one tradable future first-round pick.
Despite a report from their colleague Shams Charania indicating that the Sixers‘ interest in pursuing George has “waned,” Amick and Slater cite a source who advises not to rule out Philadelphia entirely. The 76ers could offer George a maximum-salary deal using their cap room if he reaches the open market.
The Sixers also have interest in Klay Thompson, who continues to have little contact with the Warriors as he nears free agency, according to Amick and Slater, who add that the Nuggets also have Thompson on their list of potential replacements if they lose Caldwell-Pope. It’s hard to see how Denver, whose team salary is right at the luxury tax line, could make Thompson a strong offer unless more cost-cutting moves are made.
Discussing unrestricted free agent forward Miles Bridges, Hornets head of basketball operations Jeff Peterson confirmed reporting that has suggested the team wants to re-sign Bridges. “I’ve made it very clear to Miles that we want him to remain as a Hornet,” Peterson said (story via Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer).
Isaiah Hartenstein and Nic Claxton top John Hollinger’s list of free agent centers at The Athletic by a wide margin over the rest of the class, with Hollinger’s BORD$ formula favoring Hartenstein. Claxton already has a four-year deal lined up to remain in Brooklyn, making Hartenstein the clear top option on the open market.

Pacific Notes: Thompson, Kerr, Durant, Dunn, Vezenkov, Clippers, Lakers, Casey, Vaughn

June 26th, 2024 at 2:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors coach Steve Kerr doesn’t want to go into next season without Klay Thompson.

Kerr told Tristi Rodriguez on the Jim Rome Show (hat tip to Zach Bachar of Bleacher Report) he doesn’t want to see the Splash Brothers broken up. Thompson is headed to unrestricted free agency unless he signs an extension in the coming days. The Athletic reported this week that negotiations between the two parties are “essentially frozen.”

“I want him back desperately,” Kerr said. “And we will have our conversations and he’s got to make whatever decision he makes, but we really want him back. He’s Klay Thompson.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

The Rockets swapped future draft picks with the Nets, acquiring numerous Phoenix first-rounders with an eye toward pushing the Suns to trade Kevin Durant or Devin Booker. However, the Suns are intent on “riding” with Booker, Bradley Beal and Durant, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link).
The Suns might target veteran guard Kris Dunn in free agency, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (subscription required). Phoenix, in the market for point guard depth, is limited to offering veteran’s minimum deals to free agents and rival teams expect them to take a long look at Dunn, who started 32 games for Utah last season.
Sasha Vezenkov would prefer to remain in the NBA, Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net relays. There have been conflicting reports on whether the former Euroleague star wants to stay in the NBA, though the Kings wing has a fully guaranteed contract for next season. “Panathinaikos called me sometimes and expressed interest,” Nick Lotsos, Vezenkov’s rep, told the Greek newspaper Fos. “I told them that both Vezenkov and myself want to see if he will continue in the NBA first. If he leaves the NBA, we will give priority to his last European team, Olympiacos, in discussions. If negotiations do not succeed, then we will probably open talks with other teams.”
The Clippers don’t have a first-round pick but they do own the No. 46 overall pick. Law Murray of The Athletic explores which players the Clippers might target in the second round.
Former Raptors and Pistons coach Dwane Casey and former Nets coach Jacque Vaughn are candidates to join J.J. Redick’s staff with the Lakers, according to Marc Stein. The Lakers want to surround Redick with experienced voices.

Free Agency Rumors: LeBron, Clippers, Harris, Suns, Warriors, Klay

June 25th, 2024 at 7:24am CST by Luke Adams

LeBron James‘s decision on his $51.4MM player option is due this Saturday, and while the Lakers star has yet to formally make a call one way or the other on that option, at least one recent report indicated he’s leaning toward opting out. That doesn’t mean he’ll leave Los Angeles though, since the Lakers will still be in position to offer him more than any other suitor as a free agent — and it sounds like they’ll do just that.

According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the Lakers are “committed” to retaining James and are prepared to offer the maximum three-year contract that he’s eligible for. Teams can typically re-sign their own Bird free agents for up to five years, but in LeBron’s case, the over-38 rule would trigger if he signs for four or more years, meaning a three-year agreement is his max.

A maximum-salary three-year contract for James projects to be worth nearly $162MM if he declines his option. In that scenario, he would also be in position to negotiate a no-trade clause, which is available to players who are negotiating free agent contracts if they’ve been in the NBA for eight years and with the team for four years.

Here are a few more free agency rumors and notes from around the NBA:

The Clippers have “some level of interest” in free agent forward Tobias Harris, a source tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Harris, who played for the Clippers for about a year from 2018-19, would likely only be an option for Los Angeles if Paul George leaves, since the team otherwise wouldn’t be in position to make him a competitive offer (and wouldn’t have a pressing on-court need for a forward like Harris). Pompey suggests the possibility of a dual sign-and-trade involving George and Harris, but the Sixers have the cap room to sign George outright and the Clippers would be hard-capped at the first tax apron if they acquire a player via sign-and-trade.
While the Suns‘ top offseason priority is re-signing forward Royce O’Neale, they’re also hoping that swingman Josh Okogie picks up his $2.96MM player option and would like to re-sign forward Bol Bol, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. reiterated that the team wants to bring back free agent sharpshooter Klay Thompson (Twitter video link via NBC Sports Bay Area). However, as Tim Kawakami writes for The Athletic, Dunleavy is “definitely not shaping this whole offseason” around re-signing Thompson.
John Hollinger of The Athletic shared his list of the best point guards on this year’s free agent market, along with his top shooting guards.

Warriors Rumors: Thompson, Paul, Trade Market, Looney

June 22nd, 2024 at 1:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Contract talks between the Warriors and Klay Thompson are “essentially frozen,” according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, who reports that Thompson’s departure from Golden State feels more plausible than ever.

There’s no offer currently on the table for Thompson, and no productive talks have taken place recently between the Warriors and the veteran’s representatives, Slater writes, explaining that the team has been focused on other offseason issues, including the possibility of finding a trade involving Chris Paul‘s expiring contract.

Paul’s $30MM salary for 2024/25 is non-guaranteed but could be partially or fully guaranteed if Golden State wants to use it as a salary-matching piece. Guaranteeing it for 50%, for example, would allow it to count as $15MM in outgoing salary in a trade. League sources tell The Athletic that there have been discussions with Paul about the possibility of moving his guarantee date from June 28 to July, which could push back potential resolution with Thompson even further.

As Slater observes, if the Warriors are able to acquire an impact, high-salary player in a deal involving Paul, it would affect what they might be willing to offer Thompson, since they’d like to move below the second tax apron this offseason, or perhaps even out of the tax altogether.

Here’s more from Slater:

One factor the Warriors are weighing in their approach to contract talks with Thompson is a belief that his free agent market may not be robust as expected. According to Slater, there has been chatter that teams may prefer shorter-term contracts for veteran free agents this summer, so Golden State may not have to top a big, longer-term bid from a rival suitor. There hasn’t been any traction between the Magic and Thompson, despite some reported mutual interest, sources tell Slater.
Still, even if Thompson’s price comes in lower than anticipated, that doesn’t mean he’ll end up back with the Warriors. It’s “increasingly conceivable” that the five-time All-Star and four-time champion could seek a fresh start elsewhere, per Slater, who cites some “built-up friction” from the past couple seasons.
While Kevon Looney has been viewed as a possible candidate to be released due to the structure of his contract (only $3MM of his $8MM salary is guaranteed), that’s not the Warriors’ plan right now, Slater reports. Looney’s contract will become fully guaranteed if he remains under contract through Monday, and there’s no indication at this point that he’ll be waived before then. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll remain in Golden State, since his expiring contract could be useful in a trade, Slater adds.
As Slater explains, waiving Looney and replacing him with a minimum-salary center wouldn’t create significant cap or tax savings, and cutting him to try to re-sign him on a minimum deal isn’t an option being seriously considered, since he might get a more lucrative offer from another team in that scenario. According to Slater, the big man is still one of head coach Steve Kerr‘s favorite players and his voice is valued in the locker room.

Fischer’s Latest: Bridges, Bulls, Kings, Magic, Smart, More

June 21st, 2024 at 4:32pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent forward Miles Bridges‘ could receive $30MM+ annually on his next contract, league sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. However, it remains to be seen if that money will come from the Hornets or another team.

According to Fischer, Charlotte is “believed to be open” to sign-and-trade concepts involving Bridges if the right opportunity arises. Sources tell Fischer the Nets discussed a Bridges trade concept with Charlotte in February that would have sent Ben Simmons to Charlotte. The Kings also inquired about Bridges ahead of the deadline, per Fischer.

As Fischer writes, the Hornets are viewed as a “salary-dumping ground” this summer as their new front office and head coach spearhead a rebuild. The same is true of the Pistons, who are looking for a new coach after dismissing Monty Williams.

Bridges’ market value has been difficult to gauge due to his off-court history, which includes multiple domestic violence allegations. One of those cases was dropped, but the other caused him to miss the entire 2022/23 season after he pleaded no contest (accepting punishment without formally admitting guilt).

Here’s more from Fischer:

Confirming previous reporting, Fischer hears the Bulls remain active in trade talks around the league. The Thunder, Raptors and Hornets are among the teams with interest in restricted free agent Patrick Williams, Fischer writes.
The Kings appear to be the most likely suitor right now for Zach LaVine, according to Fischer, who adds that Sacramento has continued shopping Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter in trade talks. Huerter, in particular, has drawn a “healthy amount external interest.” Still, the Bulls haven’t gained serious traction on a potential LaVine deal in several months despite being active in negotiations, sources tell Fischer. The Kings are also contemplating moving the No. 13 pick in next week’s draft, Fischer adds.
In previous trade windows, the Bulls pushed for unprotected picks when discussing Alex Caruso, sources tell Fischer. One scenario saw the Bulls push for four first-rounders, though presumably that total would have included protected picks. Chicago officially traded Caruso to Oklahoma City on Friday for Josh Giddey.
Fischer confirms LaVine is a “backup option” for the Sixers and their significant cap room. Fischer also suggests (via Twitter) the 76ers shouldn’t be ruled out as a landing spot for Paul George, despite a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic stating that their interest in George has waned as of late.
Fischer says the Magic are looking for a veteran wing who can space the floor, naming Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as perhaps their top target. If they lose Williams, the Bulls could have interest in Caldwell-Pope, with the Sixers another potential landing spot depending on how things work out with other targets. There are scenarios in which Orlando would exercise its $11MM team option on Joe Ingles as well, sources tell Fischer. Fischer previously touched on Klay Thompson‘s fit with the Magic.
The Grizzlies, who control the No. 9 pick, are known to be looking for big men, with UConn’s Donovan Clingan one draft target in a move-up scenario. However, Fischer hears from sources who say Memphis is also open to moving back in the draft. The Grizzlies are unwilling to move Marcus Smart, but Luke Kennard has drawn “strong interest” in trade talks, according to Fischer — the team holds a $14.7MM option on Kennard for 2024/25.