A group of NBA teams are lining up for Klay Thompson as his free agency decision comes to a head.
League sources told The Athletic that the 76ers and Nuggets would have interest if the five-time All-Star enters the open market.
The 76ers, armed with roughly $65 million in cap space, have more than enough cash to give Thompson, 34, the money he’s seeking from Golden State.
The Nuggets have “pegged Thompson as a possible replacement” for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who declined a player option to enter free agency this week, per the outlet.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported Friday that the Mavericks are “exploring the feasibility” of adding Thompson after clearing cap space by dealing Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Pistons.
The Magic have also recently been reported as a possible destination for Thompson.
The latest Thompson rumors come as his relationship with the team appears to be souring.
Stein also wrote Friday that signs “have frankly never pointed more strongly to” Thompson, who has spent all 13 of his NBA seasons with Golden State, winning four championships alongside Steph Curry and Draymond Green, leaving the Bay Area.
Earlier this month, Thompson unfollowed the Warriors on Instagram, deleted mention of the team from his bio on the platform and purged the majority of his Golden State-related posts dating back more than two years, signaling something may be amiss in the relationship.
On June 17, The Athletic reported that it was all but certain Thompson would test the open market for the first time in his 11 seasons.
“Klay Thompson, I’m told, is open to all external options in free agency coming up,” the outlet’s NBA insider Shams Charania said on FanDuel TV. “He intends to test free agency. We know the Warriors want him back, they offered him an extension before the start of the season. They’re going to see if there can be a deal that gets done. He’s going to be there in the marketplace, seeking offers elsewhere.”
