Kofi Inkoom
According to NBA insider Marc Stein’s latest Substack article, there is strong mutual interest between Klay Thompson and the Mavericks as free agency approaches on Sunday night.
“The latest evidence of that: Amid a growing belief leaguewide that Thompson’s relationship with the Golden State Warriors is irretrievable, strong mutual interest between Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks is expected when free agency opens Sunday evening, league sources tell The Stein Line.” Stein wrote.
Reports suggest Thompson has had limited contact with his longtime team, the Warriors, where he has won four championships since 2011. Stein indicates that the Mavericks are likely to become the frontrunners to sign the sharpshooting guard.
With the Mavericks trading Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Pistons on Friday, they have created financial flexibility to potentially offer Thompson a multi-year contract.
However, it’s unclear whether Dallas would pursue Thompson through a sign-and-trade deal or if they could also retain Derrick Jones Jr., who played a key role in their recent NBA Finals run.
While teams like Orlando and Philadelphia with cap space are expected to show interest if Thompson leaves the Warriors, his preference remains to stay in the Western Conference.
The Mavericks fell short against the Boston Celtics in this year’s NBA Finals. Adding Klay Thompson, a four-time champion, could bolster the team’s chances of returning to the finals and potentially winning.