LA Lakers Rumors: NBA executive speculates Klay Thompson switching teams in free agency: “He grew up with his dad as a player, mostly for the Lakers”
Klay Thompson is one of the best 3-point shooters in the entire NBA. Despite having a relatively bad year, the 6-foot-6 guard is still playing well, converting 37.3% of his long-range shots.
Based on recent rumors, Thompson could join the Los Angeles Lakers when he becomes a free agent. The Lakers need shooting, yet the five-time All-Star needs a big contract, which is not something the Golden State Warriors could give him.
“He grew up with his dad as a player, mostly for the Lakers, so they’re a team he could look to leave for," an anonymous Western Conference executive told Sean Deveney of Heavy.com.
Mychal Thompson, Klay's father, spent five years playing for the Lakers, winning two NBA championships with them.
Klay Thompson could join Los Angeles Lakers in less than two years
Mychal Thompson was mostly a backup player for the Lakers. In five seasons in the City of Angels, the 6-foot-10 forward appeared in 335 games, averaging 8.9 points and 5.4 rebounds.
Thompson's son is much more successful. He's only 32, yet has already won four championship rings with the Warriors. Klay has also established himself as one of the best two-way players in the league.
Klay Thompson has one more year left on his contract with the Dubs and will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2024. In his final season with the team, the sharpshooter will receive $43.2 million for his services.
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The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA for a long time. This season, they've converted only 33.5% of their long-range shots, which is the fifth-worst mark in the entire league.
While there is no doubt that the four-time NBA champion would make the Lakers much better from beyond-the-arc, it's important to keep in mind that Thompson is another injury-prone player.
In the last three seasons, Klay appeared in only 32 out of 229 games. Fortunately, he's been relatively healthy so far in the 2022-23 season, missing only seven out of 34 games.
Thompson in 2022-23 season
Klay Thompson hasn't been on top of his game this season. He's averaged 18.3 points, which is the third-lowest scoring mark of his career. Furthermore, the guard has only converted 39.5% of his field goal attempts.
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Klay would love to get a massive contract from the Warriors, but if he keeps performing like this, it's very unlikely that he will get it. Joe Lacob, the team owner, has already complained about the league's tax system, so rewarding Thompson for subpar performances is out of the question.
The Warriors are 16-18 this season and will most likely miss the playoffs. Considering that keeping the roster together costs nearly half a billion dollars, Thompson will have to do a much better job if he wants to get another big payday.