Sixers, Nuggets Interested in Klay Thompson, per Report

The longtime Warriors guard is coming up on his first trip to free agency.

Nov 8, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) controls the ball against Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson (8) in the second quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA draft has concluded after two days of picks. The next big date on the NBA calendar is right around the corner. On June 30, free agency will open around the league and it's looking more and more like big names will be on the move— none perhaps bigger than Klay Thompson.

As June 30 looms, reports suggest the possibility of Thompson leaving the Golden State Warriors is growing stronger by the day. The question then becomes where the shooting guard ends up if he leaves the only organization he's ever known.

On Friday, Sam Amick and Anthony Slater published a lengthy report for The Athletic filled to the brim with intel on the biggest free agency stories. On Thompson, the pair reported two NBA title contenders are interested in his services— the Denver Nuggets and the Philadlephia 76ers.

"A league source said Philadelphia has interest in Thompson," Amick and Slater wrote. "If the Nuggets lose free-agent-to-be Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who has decided to decline his player option and enter the market, a league source said Denver has pegged Thompson as a possible replacement."

The Nuggets are the real interesting inclusion there. They are not expected to be in the running for players who would demand a high salary like Thompson because the franchise is already set to pay Nikola Jokic, Michael Porter Jr., and Jamal Murray $123 million combined next season. There just isn't that much money leftover afterwards to offer free agents.

However, as noted, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's decision to enter free agency changes things. That clears his $15.4 million salary off the books for next season. It doesn't clear the way for Denver to throw bags of cash at the most talented players available, but it does crack the door for acquiring someone like Thompson via a sign-and-trade.

The Sixers are less surprising. It is openly known that Philly wants to find a third high-caliber talent to pair with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey before signing Maxey to a max contact extension. Paul George has long been a popular connection, but Thompson offers similar on-court benefits. He also comes with a more serious injury past and general consensus is way lower on him than George after the way last season ended for both players.

The Thompson sweepstakes are shaping up to be mighty interesting.