Klay Thompson has a suggestion to NBA stars heading to Las Vegas for mid-season tournament: "Stay away from the tables people"
Klay Thompson recently voiced his opinion on the upcoming NBA In-Season tournament. The Golden State Warriors star is aware of what's at stake in the tournament and sees it as a great opportunity to add more money to his pockets.
What makes the tourney exciting for him is the fact that the games will be held in Las Vegas, wherein many prominent golf courses are known to be.
While golf might certainly pique the interest of both Klay Thompson and Steph Curry, Thompson is well aware of what else goes on in Vegas. The Warriors star humorously advised his fellow NBA competitors to refrain from the casino, unless they genuinely have a gambling habit, then by all means go:
"I mean it's a nice purse if you win," Thompson said. "We get to go to Vegas. You know they got great golf courses in Vegas. ...Stay away from the tables people.
"You don't wanna blow all that money if you win [In-Season Tournament]. Or you could take the winnings if you're a real gambler and double up, triple up."
What is the NBA In-Season tournament?
The NBA seems poised for a significant change with the impending introduction of the In-Season tournament for the upcoming season. According to Shams Charania's report, the tournament is set to kick off in November and wrap up by December.
The primary objective is to involve all 30 teams initially, but eventually, only eight teams will make it to the Finals.
Given that In-Season tournaments have historically been confined to the G League and WNBA, some NBA enthusiasts might not be well-acquainted with the format.
The essence of the tournament entails all 30 teams vying for a place in the single-elimination tournament featuring eight teams. The initial phase involves categorizing teams into six groups of five, based on conference rather than division.
Throughout the opening six weeks of the season, teams within each group will engage in Cup games against the other four teams within their respective group.
The victors of each group, alongside two Wild Card teams, will progress to the subsequent eight-team single-elimination tournament.
The last quartet of teams remaining will convene at a neutral venue in Las Vegas to contend in the final stages of the tournament. The individual members of the championship-winning team will be awarded a prize of $500,000.
Importantly, the outcomes of the four Cup games will contribute to a team's official regular season record.
Teams that advance to the finals of the In-Season Tournament will ultimately encompass a total of 83 regular-season games. Conversely, those squads eliminated from the tournament will continue to participate in the conventional regular season games.