Klay Thompson expected to sign elsewhere, end 13-year run with Warriors [report]

Klay Thompson will likely not return as a member of the Golden State Warriors. After 13 seasons, four NBA titles, five All-Star appearances and two All-NBA nods, Thompson, 33, will be heading elsewhere, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania and Anthony Slater.

According to the report, the Warriors and Thompson "have had close to no communication" over the last roughly two weeks. The Lakers, Clippers and Mavericks, "are expected to be among strong suitors for him."

Golden State will be open to a sign-and-trade scenario, much like with the situation when Kevin Durant was dealt to the nets for D'Angelo Russell.

This is a move that had sounded more and more likely after Thompson declined the two-year, $48 million offer made to him by the Warriors before last season. Prior reports suggested that talks between the two sides were not very active in recent weeks, and now, Thompson will head elsewhere.

Because the Warriors don't have cap space, they will not be able to simply go out into free agency and attempt to replace him. They will, whoever, have access to the full nontaxpayer mid-level exception worth $12.9 million to try and add more pieces.

But that is almost tangential to what is the real story here. One of the Warriors big three, a future Hall of Famer and a man who will likely have a statue outside Chase Center, is moving on from the Warriors.

A career 19.6 point per game scorer and 41.3 percent 3-point shooter, Thompson's decline, especially on the defensive end, after recovering from back-to-back ACL and Achilles tears, is a major part of this. His role evolved last season and led to him coming off the bench for the first time since his rookie year.

Where do the Warriors go from here? With Paul George off the table after declining his $48.8 million player option, the next domino is whether they will waive Chris Paul by Sunday, and his non-guaranteed $30 million. The Warriors will lean on youth and see what other options they have in free agency, but their group now has a massive opening on the wing.