Why would Klay Thompson leave Golden State Warriors dynasty for dysfunction and losing?

There’s no secret that the Golden State Warriors’ payroll is going to cause some concerns over the next few years, with the team’s exorbitant luxury tax bill set to jump even higher in the future thanks to offseason extensions for Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins.

The first player of note is Draymond Green who can opt out of his contract at the end of the season and become a free agent. After that, it’s another four-time champion, Klay Thompson, who will become a free agent at the conclusion of next season.

Could Klay Thompson really leave a Golden State Warriors dynasty for the dysfunction of the Los Angeles Lakers or success-barren Portland Trail Blazers?

According to a source speaking to Heavy Sports’  Sean Deveney, Thompson could pack his bags and head for one of two teams he already shares a link with.

"“He could consider it. You know, he grew up with his dad as a player, mostly for the Lakers, so they’re a team he could look to leave for. And he grew up near Portland, so the Blazers, there has been talk he wants to play for them”, a Western Conference executive said."

Contract negotiations could get difficult between Thompson and Golden State, but you’d think that’s the only foreseeable way he’d ever leave the franchise of his own accord. The 32-year-old is set to make $43 million on the last year of his deal next season, and he’ll most certainly need to take a paycut from that to remain with the reigning NBA champions.

Complicating matters is what direction the franchise heads with Poole — surely, at some point during his next contract, the 23-year-old will assume a full-time starting role. Thompson may well become a sixth man for the Warriors on less than $30 million per season, so would that be enough to pry him elsewhere?

Even in that role, on that money, it would be difficult to envisage Thompson voluntarily leaving his hall-of-fame career in The Bay. How many teams contending for a title are going to have an open two-guard spot to fill, and will have the capacity and/or willingness to pay a then 34-year-old Thompson upwards of a $100 million on a four-year deal?

The Lakers are all over the place and by that point in two seasons, LeBron James may well be elsewhere. It’s almost impossible to see them rising to contention, and therefore a Thompson move to Los Angeles would be purely for lifestyle and personal reasons.

The Blazers have always been a solid team with Damian Lillard, but this is a franchise that’s largely been bereft of success with zero championships since 1977. They also just gave big money to their starting shooting-guard in Anfernee Simons, so a starting role isn’t there for Thompson and neither is the money unless Portland make a major move prior.

As well as his distinguished, legendary career, Thompson has an off-court affiliation and love for The Bay area. His drive to compete for championships is almost unmatched, with his legacy still growing despite the major injuries that threatened to derail his career. Even if less money and a lesser role is inevitably on the cards as he enters the twilight of his career, Thompson remains on track to be a Warrior for life.