Watch: Klay Thompson, Buddy Hield and Deandre Ayton lead NBA Stars in Bahamas National Team scrimmage
NBA stars, including Klay Thompson, have been spotted practicing with the Bahamas National Team as it begins preparations for the upcoming FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The Bahamas has yet to announce its full roster for the qualifiers.
In addition to Klay Thompson, Portland Trail Blazers' Deandre Ayton, Philadelphia 76ers' sharpshooter Buddy Hield and Phoenix Suns' scorer Eric Gordon have been seen practicing with Team Bahamas.
The Bahamas national team is holding its training camp in Houston, Texas, preparing for the qualifiers. Watch their practice with NBA stars here:
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, reigning Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, Cleveland Cavaliers' brother duo Evan Mobley and Isaiah Mobley and LA Clippers' big man Kai Jones could be eligible to join Team Bahamas due to their family ties to the country.
However, only Isaiah has been seen practicing.
Klay Thompson, who is a free agent this offseason, is unlikely to play in the Olympic qualifiers, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Team Bahamas will compete in Valencia, Spain, where they will face Poland and Finland in the group stage of the tournament. The winners of each FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament will secure a spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Klay Thompson reportedly wants 3-year contract in free agency
According to Monte Poole of NBC Sports, Klay Thompson, a crucial part of the Warriors' four NBA championships in the past decade, recognizes that he is no longer worth max money but seeks stability.
The 34-year-old, who had a challenging season and was moved to a bench role, is reportedly looking for a three-year contract.
“Thompson realizes he won’t see anything like his expiring contract, a five-year max worth $190 million. League sources indicate he’s seeking an offer of at least three years,” Poole said in his report.
This season, Thompson averaged 17.9 points while shooting 38.7 percent from 3-point range across 77 games. It was his first season averaging under 20 points since 2013-14.
In his final game of the season, a Play-In Tournament matchup against the Sacramento Kings, he went 0-10.
Klay Thompson has spent 11 seasons with the Warriors, averaging 19.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He has been selected for five All-Star games and has won four NBA championships.
Throughout his career, he has maintained a 3-point shooting percentage of 41.3. However, his 3-point shooting percentage of 38.7% in the 2023-24 season was the second-lowest of his career and only the second time he has shot below 40% from beyond the arc.
He also shot 43.2% from the field, which ranks among the bottom three seasons of his career. Despite these struggles, he achieved a career-best free-throw shooting percentage of 92.7% this past season.