The Golden State Warriors' should be open to a reunion with Klay Thompson, but his $17.4 million salary will force them to wait on a buyout or until the franchise legend hits free agency again next year.
Thompson has publicly declared his interest in a return to the Warriors, but he's also reportedly open to playing in Los Angeles. If Golden State want to bring the five-time All-Star back to where it all started, they have to hope that the Dallas Mavericks reject an obvious but dismal trade package the Los Angeles Lakers may have to offer.
Warriors must hope Mavericks reject Lakers' Klay Thompson trade
The Warriors don't have the matching salary to make a Thompson trade worthwhile right now. It would not only require the injured Moses Moody who is 12 years younger than Thompson, but also another young player on a small salary like Gui Santos or Brandin Podziemski.
Golden State aren't doing that, but the Lakers do have the matching salary to at least put forward an offer as the Mavericks look to move on from the veteran sharpshooter after two years with the franchise.
Los Angeles could put together Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht (or Jaden Hardy) and perhaps one of the second-round picks they got in Deandre Ayton's move to the Washington Wizards. Such a deal would reunite Thompson with Luka Doncic, having previously rejected a stronger financial offer from the Lakers to join the Slovenian superstar upon departure from the Warriors in 2024.
This is a reasonably obvious deal for the Lakers to throw up, particularly if they can't use a similar package on acquiring another former Warrior, Jonathan Kuminga, in a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks. But would it actually be enough for the Mavericks?
Mavericks should reject proposed Klay Thompson trade offer
As much as Dallas might be looking to move Thompson, this sort of proposed trade with the Lakers doesn't actually help them. In fact, given they'd be taking on two years of Vanderbilt's money, they'd be far better served just keeping Thompson (or executing a buyout) and subsequently having more financial flexibility next offseason.
This is the big obstacle the Mavericks face in trying to trade Thompson. The four-time champion is no longer valuable enough on his current contract for a rival team to give up an asset, and most trade proposals will likely include Dallas needing to take back equally bad salary for more years.
That's why the chance of a buyout still exists despite the Mavericks' current reluctance, with teams like the Miami Heat also preying on that outcome ultimately coming to fruition.
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