Klay Thompson didn’t just name four legends when asked for his NBA Mount Rushmore. He made a point of putting Stephen Curry in the same breath as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
That answer carries extra weight because Thompson spent 13 years watching Curry up close with the Golden State Warriors. Few people have seen Curry’s game from a better seat, and Thompson’s view of him has clearly left a mark. In Thompson’s eyes, Curry belongs among the four best players in league history.
The Warriors, though, are in a tough roster spot. As a team over the first apron, they cannot sign a player who was making more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($15 million) before being bought out.
That matters because Thompson could eventually become available in a way that brings Golden State back into the picture. If the Mavericks cannot find a trade partner for him by the 2027 trade deadline, Thompson looks like a possible buyout candidate. A trade to the Warriors is technically possible, but his $17.5 million salary makes that path extremely unlikely.
If Thompson reaches the 2027 offseason as a free agent, a reunion with the Warriors could become real. At that point, he may be looking at veteran minimum offers, which would take money out of the equation. The decision would come down to where he wants to play.
Curry has already said he would love to play with Thompson again, and that leaves Golden State in a strong position if the timing breaks its way.
Thompson’s path since leaving Dallas has its own wrinkle, too. He signed with the Mavericks to play with Luka Doncic, only for Doncic to be traded to the Lakers half a season later.
That makes Los Angeles a team Thompson would surely consider if he were bought out. The Lakers would also put him alongside another player from his Mount Rushmore in LeBron James.
The 76ers are another possible landing spot, though their financial situation limits what they can do right now. They are just under the first apron, so they cannot afford Thompson’s veteran minimum contract at the moment. Still, they would be able to handle a prorated veteran minimum later in the season, which lines up with when Thompson would likely be bought out anyway.
In Other News...
Joe Lacob Just Reopened A Painful Warriors Draft Debate
Jonathan Kuminga has been out of Golden State for more than six months, but the debate around how the Warriors handled his arrival has not really gone anywhere. Drafted more than five years ago, Kuminga was supposed to be part of the franchises next wave, and his departure only sharpened the scrutiny on a pick that was once viewed as a major swing for the future.
Joe Lacob recently stepped back into that conversation by defending the decision to draft Kuminga, saying he does not consider it a mistake even with the forward no longer on the roster. The timing makes the topic linger a little longer, too, with Kuminga still unsigned several weeks into free agency and now being mentioned as a possible target for the Los Angeles Lakers. [Read more 🡒]
Stephen Curry Still Has One Thing The Warriors May Be Wasting
The Warriors have spent years leaning into stability, keeping the same core of players, coach and ownership intact while much of the league has churned around them. Even as the Lakers have gone through another ownership change and remade their roster around Luka Doni, Golden State has mostly stayed the course, trusting continuity to keep the window open for Stephen Curry and the rest of the group.
But that patience can also raise a harder question: when a franchise protects its structure this aggressively, is it getting the most out of its greatest asset, or simply preserving what it already knows? Curry remains the face of everything Golden State wants to be, and the contrast with teams willing to move quickly to secure a superstar future only sharpens the sense that the Warriors may be relying on continuity at a moment when a little more urgency could matter. [Read more 🡒]
Juan Toscano-Anderson Still Means Something Special To Oakland Fans
Juan Toscano-Andersons return to Oakland this week carried the kind of easy familiarity that has made him a favorite far beyond his box score value. He took part in the unveiling of a refurbished basketball court and mural at the OK Program of Oakland, a nonprofit centered on mentoring Black youth, and used the moment to speak about his path to the NBA and the pride that comes with representing your hometown.
Toscano-Anderson also spent time on the court with the kids, mixing conversation with a little basketball and spending time with program leaders and participants. For Warriors fans who still connect him with the citys basketball roots, it was another reminder that his bond with Oakland is about more than the memories he made there as a player. [Read more 🡒]