Klay Thompson’s move to the Miami Heat may have cooled the immediate buzz around a Warriors reunion, but it hasn’t shut the door on the idea entirely.
Golden State fans had been hoping Thompson could find his way back to the franchise either during the coming season or in next offseason’s free-agent window. That path looks far less straightforward now that Thompson has left the Mavericks and agreed to a two-year deal with Miami. Still, the possibility of one last run in blue and gold hasn’t vanished.
Thompson gave that thought some oxygen earlier in the offseason while signing autographs for fans. His answer was simple: “Never say never,” a line that leaves room for the kind of ending Warriors fans have been dreaming about.
Of course, plenty would have to break the right way for that to happen. Stephen Curry is the biggest piece of the puzzle.
He is eligible for a contract extension, and if he signs for two years, he would remain under contract through the 2028-29 season. Thompson would hit free agency before that year, which would open a lane for him to return and share one more season with Curry.
Draymond Green and Steve Kerr are the next questions. Green is only under contract through this upcoming season, and there’s a decent chance he could be moved in a trade.
Kerr, meanwhile, signed a two-year deal and does not seem likely to stay beyond that. If that plays out, the Warriors could be looking at a new coach by the time Thompson would be available again.
That would make any reunion harder to pull off, especially if Golden State decides it does not want to kick off a new era with a nostalgia-driven return. But if Green stays and Kerr sticks around for one more year, the idea of bringing the Steph-Klay-Dray trio back together becomes a much more realistic conversation. In that case, Kerr would have every reason to ride it out with the group and let them finish together.
Whether that clean ending actually arrives is another matter. The Warriors’ dynasty would fit the script perfectly, but the team’s current run of mediocrity could push the franchise toward the future instead of back toward the past.
Even so, Thompson’s return to Golden State is not off the table. It does not look likely right now, but the door is still cracked open.
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For Russell, the larger issue is the same one that has shadowed him for a while now: where does he fit, and who still sees a clear role for him? He did not play for the Wizards after signing there, and if Memphis moves on, the next chapter would likely be as a free agent trying to latch onto a veteran team that still wants a backup point guard and believes there is something useful left in his game. [Read more 🡒]