Klay Thompson may be pulling a Tony Parker-Charlotte Hornets-esque late-career surprise.
Heavy’s Sean Deveney spoke this week with a Western Conference executive who suggested the lifelong Golden State Warrior Thompson could possibly leave for the Portland Trail Blazers when he becomes a free agent in 2024.
“He grew up near Portland,” said the executive of Thompson. “So the Blazers, there has been talk he wants to play for them.”
The executive also mentioned the Los Angeles Lakers as a potential landing spot for Thompson but did not indicate that there has been any previous chatter linking the five-time All-Star to the purple and gold.
Portland is an interesting possible landing spot for Thompson, who indeed grew up in Lake Oswego, Ore. and whose father Mychal played for several NBA seasons on the Blazers. The team’s multi-year salary situation is pretty clear as well, and star player Damian Lillard has not had a stable long-term wing partner since CJ McCollum was traded (Anfernee Simons lacks some size and Jerami Grant will be a free agent after this season).
Thompson has spent his entire NBA career in Golden State, winning four titles and making multiple All-NBA teams with them over the years. But he will be 33 in a few weeks and is suffering from understandable post-injury decline. If Thompson wants to get one last bag before retiring, he can do worse than a Blazers team that is currently higher than the Warriors in the standings (and that also has reported interest in another Golden State lifer).
