Report: OKC Thunder Expected to Show Interest in Klay Thompson Ahead of Free Agency

The Oklahoma City Thunder are said to be interested in Klay Thompson according to an NBA insider ahead of Free Agency.

Nov 28, 2023; Sacramento, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) celebrates after a basket during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports / Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA offseason has arrived for all but two squads, and the NBA Finals is setting up to be finished in short order, this sets up a slew of NBA rumors to churn through before Free Agency kicks off at 5 PM CT on June 30.

Oklahoma City boasts top-five in the league cap space with the assets to bolster their 57-win ball club. As everyone tries to predict what Sam Presti will do to improve the top seed in the Western Conference, a name that they are expected to have interest in is Golden State Warriors legend Klay Thompson according to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com.

"The Warriors hope to keep Thompson while also getting themselves underneath the league’s luxury tax limit, a pair of goals that could both be achievable if Thompson’s salary does not come in too high. Thompson is expected to draw interest from teams with cap space to spend, most notably the Magic, Thunder and Sixers," Deveney reports.

Deveney is not the first to have the Thompson idea, though this is more of a concrete report than previously seen. Chris Herring of ESPN marked the all-time defender as a player the OKC Thunder must sign this summer in a previous offseason article.

Presti has been very clear that the organization checks on everyone, leaving no stone unturned so the pure interest report leaves little to speculate on. You could say the same for nearly all 217 potential free agents.

However, Thompson would be an intriguing option for the Thunder. While the Warriors have already relegated the franchise legend to a limited role - even bringing him off the bench 14 times this season - he would be surrounded by more quality defenders in Oklahoma City with gravity drivers to open up catch-and-shoot looks where Thompson still produces shooting 38 percent in such scenarios.

Surrounding Thompson with the perimeter options OKC has and funneling action into Chet Holmgren would make for a lethal combination defensively as Thompson would no longer be required to take on the top assignment.

While this fit on paper seems like two ships passing in the night, with how adventurous and creative as Mark Daigneault is, could the Thunder place the 6-foot-6 215-pound wing with a 6-foot-9 wingspan at the four defensively as he did with Giddey in the starting five who stands 6-foot-8 with a 6-foot-7 wingspan. Thompson, an obvious shooting upgrade to Giddey on the other end.

Ultimately, this scribe would bet against the Thunder inking Thompson despite their cap space this summer. There are just more seamless fits out there. it is easy to tie Oklahoma City to Thompson as they check in on everyone and have the money to make it work.

This season, the five-time All-Star averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 stocks per game while shooting 43 percent from the floor, 38 percent from beyond the arc and a league-best 92 percent from the charity stripe.

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