Draymond Green's new one-year, $27.7 million contract comes with a range of implications for the Golden State Warriors, including drastically reducing the hopes of a reunion with veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson.
Thompson's recent remarks of a return to the Warriors arose speculation of a reunion, particularly if the veteran sharpshooter was to get an unlikely buyout with the Dallas Mavericks. Yet now, because of Green's new contract on Tuesday, Golden State won't be able to sign Thompson anyway even if he were to reach free agency.
Draymond Green contract comes with hidden Klay Thompson cost
The Warriors are now into the first apron with the Green contract. In fact, they're rather close to the second apron and will have to fill out the remainder of their roster with minimum contracts which could be done in the coming days.
But as a first apron team, Golden State are not eligible to sign players who are bought out that previously made more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. Thompson fits into that bracket given he's on a $17.5 million expiring deal with Dallas.
So we can officially rule out a Thompson signing as a free agent this offseason, meaning the only way a reunion could happen is via trade where the Warriors will presumably be unwilling to include Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski/Gui Santos to make the money work.
There's a good chance the Mavericks refuse to buy Thompson out anyway as they look for a trade involving the five-time All-Star. Golden State should actually be hoping now that their franchise legend doesn't hit the free agency market, otherwise they'll have to watch Thompson head to the Miami Heat or another veteran team without even having the possibility of acquiring him.
Warriors could reunite with Klay Thompson next offseason
The Warriors are clearly preparing themselves for a big 2027 offseason where they look set to be flush with cap space. While Thompson wouldn't theoretically take up too much of that at this point in his career anyway, a reunion could be on the cards three years after he departed for the Mavericks in free agency.
What kind of player will Thompson be by this time next year? He's coming off a career-worst season as a 36-year-old, transitioning into a full-time bench role in Dallas where he still shot 38.3% from 3-point range on nearly eight attempts per game.
Given the Warriors are just running-it-back next season anyway, this would have been the ideal time to at least add some nostalgia to the equation by bringing Thompson back. Alas, that no longer appears a possible scenario.
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