Rounding up all Warriors and NBA related news for Monday, June 24th.
With the official start of NBA Free Agency less than a week away, the rumor mill is buzzing, and the Golden State Warriors find themselves at the center of it. All eyes are on veteran shooting guard Klay Thompson, whose future with the team is shrouded in uncertainty, especially after the latest reports over the weekend.
According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Thompson seems to be on the brink of leaving the Warriors, with no deal being offered by the team as talks between the two sides remain “frozen”.
Talks between Klay Thompson and the Warriors are essentially frozen, per sources. There has been no offer made. It's more probable than ever he may leave the only franchise he's known, regardless of his market.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 22, 2024
Latest update at @TheAthletic https://t.co/hlj9a7Oa4w
In the article, Slater also highlights the growing tensions between Thompson and the Warriors’ front office, suggesting that the sharpshooter might even reject a more lucrative offer from Golden State in search of a “fresh start” elsewhere.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Monday, June 24th:
There has been no traction between Thompson and the Orlando Magic, according to league sources, despite some initial mutual interest. There is expected to be interest from other cap space teams and some longer-term offers on the table in a market that can always move in unpredictable directions. It’s always possible Thompson’s best offers may end up smaller in money and shorter in years than many predicted or expected, leading some to presume that’ll lead back to an inevitable reunion with the Warriors at a rate both sides are comfortable.
But that’s not necessarily the case. Even if the Warriors eventually approach Thompson with a competitive offer, matching or exceeding the money and years, it has become increasingly conceivable, according to league sources, that Thompson will decide to leave regardless, searching for a fresh start in a different environment, detached from some of the built-up friction of the previous couple seasons.
“He didn’t do anything more than he needed to do in that moment,” Roseborough said. “His pickups — basically how you pick up the ball before you get into your shot — they were just so fast like you couldn’t even see them.
“Then his release. He’s getting his shot off in, had to have been, .3 seconds or less. It doesn’t matter if it’s contested. It looks the same every time. It’s coming off the same finger every time.”
Added Vann-Kelly, 17, a 6-foot-5 guard with Division I and pro aspirations and a recent graduate of Monterey Trail High: “He was making all of them. It was nothing but net. How (Curry) attacks, you can just tell why he’s at the pro level. All his moves are perfected. He has great patience, great skill overall.”
Also within this: All signs point to the Warriors retaining Kevon Looney past his guarantee date on Monday, keeping him at $8 million for next season, per sources. Always possible he could be part of offseason trade, but outright release is unlikely. https://t.co/hlj9a7OHU4
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 22, 2024
The Warriors, league sources say, have continued to explore their trade options with Paul’s trade-friendly contract in conjunction with Wednesday’s draft as well as the prospect of pushing the Friday deadline into July if Paul is amenable to that amendment (as covered here previously). Count on Paul’s situation being one of the prime topics raised Monday afternoon when Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. holds a pre-draft news conference — after Dunleavy, of course, is quizzed on free agent-to-be Klay Thompson’s future with the only team Thompson has ever known.
ESPN Sources: The Cleveland Cavaliers are hiring Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson as the franchise’s next head coach and sides are working on a contract that’s expected to be completed soon. pic.twitter.com/x60kBtvQDQ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 24, 2024
Who will be the biggest star to change teams this summer?
Howard Beck: Jimmy Butler will be traded. Rival executives have been buzzing about it for months, for all the obvious reasons. Butler is about to turn 35 (with a lot of hard miles and a lot of injuries), with one year left on his Heat contract, and is reportedly seeking a two-year, $113 million extension. If the Heat grant it, they’ll have little to no flexibility to add another star. And they absolutely need one.
Credit Butler for powering Miami to two Finals in five seasons. But a team built around Butler and Bam Adebayo isn’t enough to challenge the Celtics, Bucks, or Sixers in the East. Pat Riley is known for moving off his high-priced players before they fall off a cliff. And Butler at this stage would be much more valuable as a second or third option on a contender than as the top dog in Miami. This feels like the right time for a pivot.
***Important note from The Ringer’s Howard Beck
Predictions are not "reports."
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) June 21, 2024
Predictions are not "reports."
Predictions are not "reports."
Predictions are not "reports."
Predictions are not "reports."
Predictions are not "reports."
Predictions are not "reports."
Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
The Wizards are likely to remain at No. 2 as well, where Washington has the league convinced its focused on selecting Alex Sarr from the Perth Wildcats. The Wizards, according to people familiar with the situation, invested the most time and resources of any NBA club sending various personnel to Australia to evaluate Sarr. This situation is also considered the preferred outcome from Sarr’s camp, as it’s become well known that Sarr has so far declined to work out for Atlanta. Washington does also hold the No. 26 pick and is a prime candidate to potentially move up from that slot, sources said, in addition to the Wizards trying to find a third first-round choice.
The New York Knicks are a team to watch for Paul George, per @TheSteinLine
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 23, 2024
“Another trusted source has advised me to keep the Knicks on the list as a potential trade suitor for George if the All-NBA swingman indeed opts into the final season of his current contract at $48.8… pic.twitter.com/STP4ertIzW
On Monday, the Warriors will need to decide whether or not to pick up center Kevon Looney’s contract. If the Dubs do pick up Looney’s deal, he’ll return for $8 million. Otherwise, they’ll owe him a $3 million buyout and he’ll become a free agent.
And then, on Friday, June 28, the deadline hits for Chris Paul’s contract. CP3’s deal is fairly straightforward: the Warriors can opt into one more year of the Hall of Famer for a cool $30 million, or they can let him walk into free agency without paying him anything.
Follow @unstoppablebaby on Twitter for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
