Golden State Warriors Former All-Star Tabbed as OKC Thunder Target

According to ESPN, the Oklahoma City Thunder could be a landing spot for former All-Star and Golden State Warriors Legend Klay Thompson.

Apr 16, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) sits on the bench during action against the Sacramento Kings in the fourth quarter during a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA Offseason rumor mill continues to churn as we inch closer to the NBA Finals and the summertime moves. With that comes rumors, predictions and just overall fodder. On Tuesday, ESPN released an article by Chris Herring giving readers 10 Free Agency Signings or Trades that "need to happen in 2024."

With Oklahoma City sitting on a pile of picks and owning a lot of cap space, the Thunder will be involved in every rumor from now until the end of the offseason. Many expect this 57 win ball club to go bolster their roster.

One way that ESPN projects the Thunder can improve their rotation is by inking former All-Star, Golden State Warrior legend and former boogeyman Klay Thompson.

"Even if he was a hair under 39% from 3 this past season, the 34-year-old still canned 268 triples. (The season before, when he hit 41.2% of his 3s, Thompson drained a league-best 301.) Gilgeous-Alexander was already throwing kickout passes a longer average distance than anyone outside of Luka Doncic, per Second Spectrum, because of how much space he had to work with. (Oklahoma City also uses its guards to screen off the ball in a way that's similar to what Golden State does.) Thompson would amplify all that," Herring wrote on Tuesday to explain this pick.

In theory, Thompson fits with the Thunder and can benefit from the supporting cast in Bricktown as his game ages. Though, how realistic is this option? Herring continued to explain what it would take to make this move come to be.

"[Klay Thompson] would need considerable incentive to leave the Warriors, who seem set on making one last push with their championship core. But perhaps the Thunder -- who still have a couple years before they realistically need to worry about the punishing luxury tax aprons due to their youth -- would construct a deal with Thompson that includes more years than Golden State would agree to," The ESPN scribe speculated.

Outbidding the Warriors - who have a lot at stake in making this work to keep the band together for one last march - will be a difficult task and one that might not make sense for the Thunder. Oklahoma City only has a two-year window to burn through money, so outbidding the Warriors in the number of years and money doesn't seem wise.

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

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