Klay Thompson might be insulted by the contract extension offers he received from the Golden State Warriors, but that does not mean he is looking to squeeze every penny out of his upcoming free agency.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports wrote on Sunday that there is a belief around the NBA that Thompson would be willing to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers or Los Angeles Clippers for the mid-level exception, which is $12.9 million this offseason. The Warriors offered Thompson a two-year, $50 million extension at the start of last season.
The situation between Thompson and the Warriors has reportedly gotten so bad that it seems like Thompson is determined to start fresh elsewhere. If he is willing to take less than half from another team than what Golden State offered, that is a good indicator of where things stand between Thompson and his current team.
Thompson’s father Mychal played for the Lakers during their Showtime era and is the team’s radio color commentator. If Thompson is fed up with the Warriors, he might also be drawn to the idea of signing with one of their rivals.
The Dallas Mavericks are also interested in signing Thompson, and they might be willing to outspend other teams. Fischer and others have reported that Dallas looks like one of the strongest suitors for the 34-year-old sharpshooter.
LeBron James, who is also a free agent, is said to be willing to give the Lakers a discount if it helps sign another impact player. James likely views Thompson as a player who could make a big difference.
There are at least two other playoff teams that might be planning to pursue Thompson when free agency begins on Sunday evening, so it appears his market is plenty robust.
