Report: Warriors prioritize PG13 trade over Klay re-signing originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Fasten your seat belts, because the Warriors are cooking and things could get messy quickly.
The Warriors are reportedly more involved than ever in their pursuit of star player Paul George from the Los Angeles Clippers, but as a result, Golden State’s rocky relationship with 13-year veteran Klay Thompson continues to suffer.
“Golden State has prioritized the trade of Paul George from the LA Clippers above all other matters this week,” NBA insider Marc Stein said in a story published Friday. “Yet it has only deepened the chill between Thompson and the club after months of irregular and now sparse contact between the teams…
“It will take time for many NBA viewers to get used to the idea of Klay Thompson in a different uniform if he is indeed willing to leave the Golden State Warriors in free agency, but honestly, the signs have never been stronger.”
It’s no surprise that Golden State prefers George to Thompson. George, a nine-time NBA All-Star, has long been a dream fit for the Warriors’ marksmanship system based on perimeter excellence, and both sides’ title chances are diminishing in parallel — they can simply use each other well.
However, it would be risky for the Warriors to let Thompson, a four-time NBA champion with the franchise, sit on the fence waiting for someone else to acquire him.
There’s no guarantee Golden State can land George. The 34-year-old is demanding a maximum four-year contract and is only available to the Warriors via a sign-and-trade deal. In addition to giving up Thompson, the aging Warriors would still commit to more older players while potentially moving away some of their promising young players.
“As the Warriors investigate the viability of the George situation and explore the rest of their options around the league, they have left the future of a franchise legend on the sidelines and increased the risk of losing him,” said Sam Amick of The Athletic . and Anthony Slater said in an article published Friday.
“There has still been no official contract offer and little communication between Thompson and the Warriors, league sources say, as the potential end of his 13-year career with the franchise becomes increasingly plausible.”
Golden State reportedly extended — or at least submitted — multiple offers for Thompson, as recently as a few weeks ago and even before last season began.
He continues to look for other options.
It’s a muddy situation for Thompson and the Warriors given their history. But Golden State’s current focus, as cutthroat as it seems, makes sense.
Pursuing George over re-signing Thompson is the best thing Golden State can do if it wants to win another title.
George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists during the 2023-24 NBA season, while Thompson averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists and even made the bench behind rookie Brandin Podziemski for the first time since his 2011-2012 rookie season.
Plus, George is an even better catch-and-shoot expert than Thompson, something the Warriors have desperately needed in recent seasons to support superstar Steph Curry.
Paul George shot 45.4% on catch-and-shoot 3s last season
Klay Thompson shot 38.1% on catch-and-shoot 3s last season https://t.co/UYFpmxsgyc
— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) June 27, 2024
Both George and Thompson will face a lot of teams looking to throw money at them this offseason, but one of the two players is playing a class higher than the other.
Golden State made the right decision by selecting George over Thompson, although it would be quite the surprise if the Warriors got both options.
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