3 teams that should overpay Klay Thompson to leave Golden State

Klay Thompson's season ended with an all-time flameout, as he shot 0-for-10 (including 0-for-6 from deep) in the Golden State Warriors' Play-In Tournament loss to the Sacramento Kings. Despite a redemptive second half of the season, Thompson's finale left a bitter taste in the fanbase and sparked renewed uncertainty about his future in the Bay.

All of Klay's coaches and teammates have expressed a desire to bring the 34-year-old back. He was an essential cog in the greatest dynasty in recent NBA history, so frankly, he sort of deserves to come back. The Warriors can't let sentiment drive their front office decision-making, but it feels wrong to think about Thompson in a different uniform. He will go to the Hall of Fame as a Warrior. He should probably retire a Warrior, too.

That said, the seeds have already been planted for a potential departure. Former Warriors GM Bob Myers said "pride" will be the biggest determining factor in Thompson's free agent decision. If Thompson feels like the Warriors value and respect him, he will re-sign. If he doesn't, well, other teams will come knocking.

While there is plenty of valid concern tied to Thompson's age, defense, and injury history, only so many historically great shooters hit the free agency pool every season. Thompson still averaged 9.0 attempts per game from deep and converted at a 38.7 percent clip. His off-ball movement and deep range are a constant stressor for opposing defenses.

Thompson and the Warriors both "took note" of Jrue Holiday's four-year, $135 million extension with the Boston Celtics, per ESPN's Zach Lowe. That is way too much money for Thompson at this stage of his career... BUT, here are the teams (other than Golden State) that can justify the investment.

3. Heat can show Klay Thompson the fountain of youth

Let's assume Klay Thompson can squeeze four years and $100 million out of an irresponsible front office. That's enough to match salaries with Terry Rozier in a sign-and-trade. The Warriors need to agree to those terms, so the Miami Heat need to make it worth Golden State's while, but more improbable things have happened.

Every slightly old vet should want to play in Miami. Not only for the golf courses and the retirement communities, but because the Heat are so good at masking flaws and maximizing strengths. Erik Spoelstra consistently has his team performing above its means, finding creative ways to hide negative defenders and exploiting niche offensive skill sets for maximum benefit.

Thompson can still light up the nets. Miami's offense is quite pour for a so-called contender, and there needs to be another source of 3-point volume aside from Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson. Thompson gives the Heat a dangerous movement shooter to work into the equation. He can also screen for Bam Adebayo or Jimmy Butler, unlocking some fun two-man actions.

The longevity of this Heat... whatever we want to call this team — the No. 8 seed dynasty, the voodoo morticians, the plucky underdogs — is unclear. Jimmy is getting up there. Thompson ain't young. We know Miami wants to add more star-power, but if all else fails, Thompson could find a nice second wind in South Beach.

2. Klay Thompson would look mighty nice in two-man actions with Joel Embiid for 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are worth mentioning as a contender with roughly $60 million in projected cap space. Daryl Morey should have far more ambitious plans than spending a bunch of money on past-prime Klay Thompson, but if other options fall through, Morey has never been afraid of betting on talent in unconventional ways.

Thompson would bring eons of postseason experience to the Sixers locker room. He has seen Nick Nurse close up in the playoffs. He understands what it takes on an elemental level. We have seen the Sixers derive tremendous value out of "faded" stars this season, most notably Kyle Lowry. Thompson won't provide the same defensive spunk, but he's still a gifted shot-maker who could unlock new wrinkles in Nick Nurse's playbook.

For years, there has been a collective call for Philadelphia's wings to shoot the ball more. Nurse, Doc Rivers, Brett Brown — it's a tradition for the Sixers head coah to tell Embiid's teammates to step confidently into open 3s. Well, Thompson wouldn't require asking. We saw J.J. Redick play the best basketball of his career in his late 30s next to Embiid. That's not to say Thompson would follow the same arc, but it's hard to overstate the value of a truly prolific movement shooter playing next to Embiid.

Philadelphia can feed Thompson plenty of clean looks beyond the arc. Defenses would have an exceedingly difficult time sticking to Thompson's hip and supplying the requisite pressure on Embiid in dribble-handoff actions. With essentially all of the Sixers' supporting cast entering free agency, Philly also needs another source of points aside from Embiid and Maxey. Tobias Harris, Kelly Oubre — those guys won't be back next season. Thompson can still drop 15-20 points per game in an especially valuable role.

1. Magic really, really need Klay Thompson's shooting

The Orlando Magic were the first team firmly reported as a potential Klay Thompson suitor outside of Golden State. It makes all the sense in the world. There isn't a more obvious fit for Thompson in the NBA. The Magic's offense was god awful in their Game 1 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, which shines a rather bright spotlight on their dire lack of perimeter scoring.

Orlando needs to bump up its 3-point volume and efficiency. Thompson can oblige. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are two of the best slashers in the NBA. Jalen Suggs is a great connective passer and off-ball mover, but he's not the perimeter scorer Orlando needs to balance out its attacks on the rim. Thompson will set up shot several feet behind the 3-point line and stretch defenses out, opening up more driving lanes for the Magic's big wing creators.

The Magic would also benefit from the veteran leadership Thompson can provide. It has been a difficult season for Thompson. He has struggled at times to accept the new reality of his game in 2024. Still, he has shown an increased willingness to embrace fewer responsibilities on the court while leading the Golden State youth off the court. Thompson can provide valuable insight for a team that hasn't been on the postseason stage for long.

Defense is the biggest weakness in Thompson's game at this stage of his career. He's a sieve on the perimeter, unable to move laterally in space at the level needed to contain the point of attack. Orlando has an elite defensive apparatus to support Thompson. He would be surrounded by elite on-ball stoppers in Suggs and Wagner, as well as a rangy clean-up man in the middle with Jonathan Isaac. The Magic's young legs and copious length would provide a safe haven for Thompson, all his strengths and weaknesses, as he enters the twilight of a historic career.