Golden State Warriors Rumors: Klay Thompson could meet with LAC if not offered max

The Golden State Warriors may lose Klay Thompson if they don’t offer him a max. However, it’s unlikely their offers any him anything less.

Klay Thompson has yet to be offered a max contract. While that may not matter since he technically couldn’t sign is anyway, the new report is that if the Golden State Warriors forward isn’t offered a max he could turn and take a meeting with the Los Angeles Clippers.

That’s obviously not ideal.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported that Thompson may be expected to take meeting elsewhere. He said that the Clippers are the team that he’d be very open to sitting down with.

Woj and Zach Lowe, two of the most trusted insiders, both sat down for a special free agency-themed show, and it did not disappoint. That being said, let’s not take much stock in the fact that Golden State has yet to offer the 5-year, $190 million max.

Joe Lacob followed the team’s NBA Finals loss with a statement surrounding Thompson and free agent Kevin Durant. He said the team plans to re-sign both players, although they’ll be coming off potentially career-altering injuries.

Thompson tore his ACL in Game 6 while Durant ruptured his Achilles in Game 5. Durant’s already had successful surgery, and Thompson’s is expected to take place next week. Ultimately, the injuries will partially define their careers.

Having one of the best seasons of his career, the Warriors were en route to winning Game 6 behind an electric Klay Thompson. However, that hope was immediately hanging on by a prayer as Thompson came up hobbling after being fouled on a dunk attempt by Danny Green.

It is what it is. Not a malicious act by Green, Thompson will pay the price for a year if not longer. Expected to come back around the trade deadline, the advantage Thompson has in any contract talks is that he is coming back.

For that reason alone, the Warriors have to give him that max. They need him, and he proved that this postseason.