The defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors have a 16-18 record, and their chances of turning things around soon have been dashed by Stephen Curry’s shoulder injury that will keep him out for a few weeks.
Their dynasty could be starting to fade or even come apart at the seams, as a number of key members may leave the team in the near future.
One of those key members is Klay Thompson, their stellar shooting guard.
Ever since returning last season from ACL and Achilles injuries, he hasn’t looked like his old self, and so far this season he’s shooting just 39.5% from the field.
He can become a free agent in the summer of 2024, and not only could he reportedly leave the Warriors, but one Western Conference executive says he may even consider joining the Los Angeles Lakers.
Via Heavy.com:
“He could consider it,” a Western Conference executive said. “You know, he grew up with his dad as a player, mostly for the Lakers, so they’re a team he could look to leave for. … But really, he is kind of ingrained in the Warriors now. He is such a part of that team and the culture, everything he went through with the injuries, and just his whole laid-back attitude and approach. They love him. It would be hard to imagine him actually suiting up in another uniform.”
Draymond Green, who in some ways is the heart and soul of Golden State, can opt out and leave the team this summer, and he has also been linked to the Purple and Gold. If the Warriors are starting to break apart by 2024, it may not be a stretch to see Thompson leaving the Bay Area.
His father, Mychal Thompson, played for the Lakers from 1987 to 1991, and during that time he appeared in the NBA Finals four times, winning back-to-back world championships in 1987 and 1988. The younger Thompson was born in L.A. in 1990 and spent much of his childhood in the Southland.
However, the Lakers should think twice about signing him in 2024, as he will be 34, and as time goes on, the chances of him returning to his old self continue to drop.
