Golden State Warriors to make final Klay Thompson gesture as three next team options emerge

Klay Thompson's tenure with the Golden State Warriors appears to be at an end .

On Saturday, it was reported by The Athletic that the Warriors are prepared to lose Thompson in free agency after the two sides failed to come together on a deal that both sides felt was appropriate. The outlet also reports that neither side had communicated with one another for almost two weeks , with Golden State wanting to prioritize other matters before focusing its efforts on Thompson's contract.

As such, the 34-year-old Warriors legend felt slighted by how Golden State had approached his contract situation and therefore expressed interest in playing elsewhere. The Warriors appear to be in agreeance with Thompson's stance, despite a fruitful partnership that saw Golden State win four titles in eight years.

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The Athletic also reported that the Warriors are open to a potential sign-and-trade with Thompson in order to find a suitable home for the former champion. Thompson and the Warriors are looking for a destination that will give the guard the money he is looking for while also giving Golden State assets it can use to bolster the roster around Stephen Curry.

As it stands, the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks all are very interested in acquiring the star. All three teams have the means to acquire Thompson through the various moves that each franchise has seen in the last week.

For the Lakers, LeBron James opted out of his $51.4 million contract and intends to sign a deal with Los Angeles, provided they make the proper moves to extend his championship window further. By signing for under the maximum amount, James allows the Lakers to use the full $12.9 million mid-level exception (MLE) to sign an impact player.

The Mavericks can do the same, after trading Tim Hardaway Jr.'s contract. If Thompson does elect to sign with a team that could offer him the MLE, that shows just how much the relationship between the franchise and the player has devolved, a far cry from what Thompson said .

Before the start of the 2023-24 NBA season, it was being reported that the Warriors had offered Thompson a two-year, $48 million contract, though those talks never advanced further than the exploratory phase. Thompson indicated he was looking for a long-term deal, but the Warriors balked because he was coming off two major lower leg injuries.

The two sides played out the season with Thompson attempting to prove himself worth of the contract he sought. Instead, Thompson had arguably his worst season as a professional, outside of his first two seasons in the league, in a season marred with inconsistent play .

If Thompson does sign elsewhere for below what he was initially offered or if he is traded, it just goes to show how badly he wants a fresh start. Should that be the case, Thompson's tenure with the Warriors ended with a whisper instead of a bang.

In potentially his last game in a Warriors uniform, Thompson shot 0-of-10 from the field, 0 of 6 from beyond the arc, for 0 points, and grabbed four rebounds with one assist in 32 minutes of action against the Sacramento Kings . When the Warriors needed him the most, especially considering his penchant for performing in clutch situations, he vanished.

Now, the Warriors will have to pivot heavily if they want to make the most of Curry's prime. It remains to be seen how the Warriors could be considered championship contenders if one of the main pieces that helped Golden State win a championship is no longer there.