NBA News Roundup, Sunday, September 1st: Golden State Warriors never considered not re-signing Klay Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers sign young shooting guard and more
September is finally here, and the much-anticipated 2019-20 NBA season is now just seven weeks away. While a number of talents are currently in China representing their countries on the international stage, much of the NBA is focused on the upcoming season.
A summer of chaos has seen Kawhi Leonard and Paul George head to Los Angeles with the Clippers, while the Brooklyn Nets pulled off a significant coup by signing the All-Star duo of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Teams are currently focused on bedding in their new signings ahead of training camp, although further moves could be made ahead of the new season.
Veteran free agents such as Carmelo Anthony and Jamal Crawford are still on the search for a new team, while teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers may offload some of their top talent. So, as the NBA season rolls into September, here are all the latest news and rumors you need to know.
The Golden State Warriors never considered not re-signing Klay Thompson
The Golden State Warriors entered Game 6 of the NBA Finals in a must-win situation, and Klay Thompson delivered a trademark performance to put the Warriors up late in the third quarter. However, while attempting a dunk, the 29-year-old tore his ACL and was subsequently ruled out for the rest of 2019.
Due to the injury, some speculated that the Warriors would be hesitant to hand Thompson a new five-year, $190 million max contract, although Warriors CEO Joe Lacob claims this was never the case:
There was no doubt in my mind, whatsoever. I, and we, want Klay to be here for a long time. He’s one of my favorite players in the world. Plenty of people have come back from ACLs and done pretty well. Honestly, it didn't even remotely cross my mind.
Thompson will spend his prime years with the Warriors alongside Steph Curry and Draymond Green, who are also signed to long-term deals.