Klay Thompson's dad: Warriors will go after Kevin Durant in 2016
The father of Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, former NBA player Mychal Thompson, said Friday that the Warriors are going to "go hard" after Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant when he hits free agency in 2016.
Thompson made the comments on ESPN LA, saying, "I also heard it on good authority from a team that plays in the Bay Area that they're going to go hard after Kevin Durant."
Mychal Thompson spent 13 seasons in the NBA, while Klay Thompson is in his fourth pro season.
Durant will hit free agency in 2016, and rumors about his future have persisted in recent years. He was limited to 27 games this past season, his eighth in the NBA, by a foot injury initially sustained last October.
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The Warriors are widely expected to free up cap space by 2016 if they elect not to re-sign forward David Lee, who will make about $15.4 million next season before hitting free agency. Thompson is one of five Warriors under contract for the 2016–2017 season, joining guards Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, as well as center Andrew Bogut.
The Warriors finished an NBA-best 67–15 this season and swept the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the playoffs. They will face the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference semifinals beginning Sunday.
- Mike Fiammetta