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2 NBA Teams Klay Thompson Could Leave Warriors For

2 NBA Teams Klay Thompson Could Leave Warriors For

Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson is currently in the second-to-last season of his five-year, $190 million contract.

The 32-year-old is getting $40.6 million this season and then $43.2 million the following year. After that? His future is very much in doubt.

Thompson himself has spoken recently about how much he is currently enjoying his time with the Warriors because he knows it could all come to an end in the not-so-distant future.

He will be 34 years old by the time he is a free agent, and it remains a question mark whether he and Golden State will ultimately be able to agree on a number when it’s time to talk a new deal. Despite his smooth game on the court and even smoother game off it, it is hard to see the Warriors paying Thompson what he is going to want to be paid.

Recently NBA insider Sean Deveney spoke to a Western Conference executive who pointed at the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers as teams to watch when it comes to Thompson.

“He could consider it,” a Western Conference executive said.

“You know, he grew up with his dad as a player, mostly for the Lakers, so they’re a team he could look to leave for. And he grew up near Portland, so the Blazers, there has been talk he wants to play for them.”

All that being said, it seems to be generally agreed to that if the choice ends up being left to Thompson, he would prefer to stay with Golden State.

“He is kind of engrained in the Warriors now,” the exec continued.

“He is such a part of that team and the culture, everything he went through with the injuries, and just his whole laid-back attitude and approach. They love him. It would be hard to imagine him actually suiting up in another uniform.”

The question is just what Golden State will want. Again, Thompson will be 34 years old when his current deal ends. He will likely only be able to get one more big deal in his career, and it’s hard to see the newly money conscious Warriors be the ones to give it to him.

And while Thompson has slowly been working himself back into game shape, there is also no denying that he isn’t the player he was before his injuries.

Obviously a lot can change over the next couple of seasons. Maybe Thompson and the Warriors will figure out a common ground and he will remain with the squad throughout his entire career.

If he doesn’t, though – it will be interesting to see if either the Blazers or Lakers make a big move for him.

Related: 2 Teams To Watch After Jordan Clarkson’s Jazz Trade Request

Carlos Garcia

A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
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