Klay Thompson can do the Warriors one last favor before leaving town

The Golden State Warriors and Klay Thompson are expected to part ways in NBA Free Agency, per Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic. There have been no substantial contract talks since the season ended and Thompson does not feel like Warriors consider him a priority. As such, he will look to alternative options in the Western Conference.

Both Los Angeles teams and the Dallas Mavericks are on Thompson's shortlist. He is clearly aiming to land with another contender. LeBron James is reportedly willing to take a pay cut to help the Lakers pay Thompson's salary, while the Clippers could soon need a Paul George replacement. Dallas was in the NBA Finals a few weeks ago and should be operating aggressively to upgrade the roster.

That said, the Lakers, Clippers, and Mavs all have one thing in common beyond their interest in Klay: zero cap space. Thompson isn't in the market for a minimum contract, so relocating to a contender probably requires a sign-and-trade.

The Athletic scribe TIm Kawakami expects a sign-and-trade deal involving Thompson to "land quickly" once the free agency period opens at 6 PM ET. He shares that opinion with NBA insider Marc Stein.

Klay Thompson could help out Warriors with sign-and-trade move

This is a silver lining for the Dubs, who are set to lose a franchise cornerstone and future Hall of Fame member. It is ostensibly the correct move to let Klay walk, but it feels wrong to even think about a Splash Brother in Lakers gear. Thompson was supposed to retire alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Instead, after a couple tumultuous years in the wake of a major knee injury, Thompson is looking for a fresh start.

It's unclear what exactly the haul for Thompson would be. The Warriors can't expect much, as Thompson is 34 and on the decline. He's also a free agent who holds all the cards, so to speak. He is doing the Dubs a favor with any sign-and-trade. The Warriors are not exactly in a position to drive a hard bargain, lest Thompson simply leave for a cap space team and gift the Warriors nothing.

It all hinges on Thompson's eventual salary number. If he's due for the mid-level exception, that changes the potential salary-matching candidates compared to a salary in the $20-30 million range. Somewhere in the low-20s sounds about right. There's a certain prestige element to signing Thompson, whose resumé is extensive.

For the Mavs, Maxi Kleber ($11 million), Daniel Gafford ($13.3 million), and Dwight Powell ($4 million) stand out as potential targets for Golden State. The Lakers can offer D'Angelo Russell ($18.6 million), Gabe Vincent ($11 million), and/or Jarred Vanderbilt ($10.7 million). For the Clippers, Norman Powell ($19.7 million), Terance Mann ($11.4 million), and P.J. Tucker ($11.5 million) are all candidates to join a Warriors sign-and-trade.

Teams should tread carefully when it comes to handing out long-term money to Thompson, but he's still productive in a more streamlined role. He averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on .432/.387/.927 splits in 29.7 minutes last season. There is always value in an elite shooter who demands constant attention off the ball.