Klay Thompson is one of the best three-point shooters in the entire NBA. Despite a relatively poor year, the 6-foot-6 guard is still playing well, shooting 37.3 percent from long-range.
According to recent rumors, Thompson may join the Los Angeles Lakers after becoming a free agent. The Lakers need to shoot, and the five-time All-Star needs a big contract, which is not what the Golden State Warriors can give him.
“He grew up with his dad as a player, mostly playing for the Lakers, so they were a team he could consider leaving,” an unnamed Western Conference executive told Heavy.com Sean Devine.
Klay’s father, Mychal Thompson, played five years with the Lakers and won two NBA championships with them.
Klay Thompson could join the Los Angeles Lakers in less than two years
MyChal Thompson is primarily a backup player for the Lakers. In five seasons in the Angel City, the 6-foot-10 forward averaged 8.9 points and 5.4 rebounds in 335 games.
Thompson’s son has been far more successful. He’s only 32 years old, but already has four championship rings with the Warriors. Klay has also established himself as one of the best two-way players in the league.
Klay Thompson has one year left on his contract with the Warriors, and he will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2024. In his final season with the team, the sharpshooter will earn $43.2 million for his services.
You may be interested to read: How Klay Thompson’s contract with the Golden State Warriors became a liability due to injury concerns
The Los Angeles Lakers have long been one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the NBA. This season, their long-range shooting percentage is only 33.5%, which is the fifth lowest in the entire league.
There’s no question the four-time NBA champion will make the Lakers better from beyond the arc, but it’s important to remember that Thompson is another injury-prone player.
Klay has appeared in just 32 of 229 games over the past three seasons. Fortunately, he’s been relatively healthy so far in 2022-23, missing just seven of 34 games.
Thompson in the 2022-23 season
Klay Thompson hasn’t been at the top of the game this season. He averaged 18.3 points per game, the third-lowest scoring mark of his career. Additionally, the guard is shooting just 39.5 percent from the field.
You may be interested to read: Where is Klay Thompson’s net worth among his Golden State Warriors teammates?
Klay would love to get a big contract from the team warriors, but if he keeps behaving like this, the chances of him getting it are slim. Team owner Joe Lacob has complained about the league’s tax system, so rewarding Thompson for his underperformance is out of the question.
The Warriors are 16-18 this season and are likely to miss the playoffs.Considering the cost of keeping the roster together is almost billion dollarsif Thompson wants to get another big payday, he’s going to have to do better.
