The Warriors can still dream about a Klay Thompson reunion, but the road back is messy and, right now, blocked by the salary math. Thompson’s $17.4 million number means Golden State would have to wait for a buyout or for him to reach free agency again next year if they want to bring the franchise legend back.
That has left another team in the middle of the conversation: the Mavericks. Thompson has already said he wants to return to the Warriors, but he’s also reportedly willing to play in Los Angeles. That opens the door for the Lakers, who have the kind of matching salary to put a real offer on the table if Dallas decides to move on from the veteran sharpshooter after two years.
The package Los Angeles could offer is not exactly a prize. A deal built around Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht or Jaden Hardy, plus maybe one of the second-round picks the Lakers received in Deandre Ayton’s move to the Washington Wizards, would be the obvious framework. It would also bring Thompson back alongside Luka Doncic, after Thompson previously passed on a stronger financial offer from the Lakers to join the Slovenian star when he left the Warriors in 2024.
From the Lakers’ perspective, it’s an easy idea to explore, especially if that same type of package can’t land another former Warrior, Jonathan Kuminga, in a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks. But for Dallas, the trade doesn’t offer much of a payoff.
Taking back Vanderbilt’s contract for two more years would not give the Mavericks much real relief. In that scenario, they’d likely be better off simply keeping Thompson or buying him out and preserving more flexibility for next offseason.
That’s the bind Dallas is in. Thompson is on a contract that no longer carries enough value for most teams to part with a real asset, which means trade talks are likely to keep circling back to the same problem: the Mavericks may have to absorb bad money for even longer if they want to make a deal.
That’s also why a buyout remains on the table, even with Dallas reluctant to go that route. If it happens, teams like the Miami Heat would be waiting for the chance to get involved.
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Lendeborg backed up the decision quickly in summer league, where he was named MVP and helped lead the Warriors to the championship. Oklahoma Citys Aday Mara, taken one spot later, flashed a few encouraging signs, but the early returns have tilted clearly toward Golden State, which at least for now seems to have found a clean win in a draft process that could matter well beyond July. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Get Encouraging Moses Moody Update After Trade Buzz
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The next checkpoint matters, though, because it will help frame just how soon Golden State can realistically count on him again. If the rehab keeps trending in the right direction, Moody should remain part of the conversation for the Warriors when he returns, which gives the team at least one encouraging internal storyline to monitor as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Face One Trade Dilemma In Pursuit Of Bench Scoring
The Warriors search for more bench scoring has only become more urgent as the roster has settled into its new shape, and one name floating in that conversation is tied to Milwaukees post-Giannis reshuffling. After Giannis Antetokounmpo was dealt to the Heat, the Bucks brought in several pieces, and among the players drawing outside attention is a young wing who turned in a strong season and has the kind of offensive profile that could help Golden States second unit.
Even so, the path to a deal does not look simple. League chatter has centered on the idea of using draft capital to make it happen, but the Warriors have been cautious about moving future picks, especially for a player whose contract situation adds another layer of complexity. Between the price in assets and the extension questions that come with it, this is the sort of trade idea that sounds helpful for a bench that needs scoring, yet still feels unlikely to become real unless the market shifts. [Read more 🡒]