Lost in the midst of all the Kevin Love to Golden State Warriors talk is how such a deal would affect all parties involved, including Klay Thompson.
USA Today is reporting that regardless if Thompson is traded to Minnesota or remains in Golden State, he’s looking to land a max contract extension.
The Thompson debate doesn’t stop with the defensive element, of course. On the financial front, landing Love would eventually require giving him a max contract that would likely start at approximately $19 million annually (he has indicated he’ll opt out of his current deal and become a free agent next summer).
Meanwhile, Thompson’s agent, Bill Duffy, has been seeking a max deal in extension talks with the Warriors as well. And while Golden State would surely prefer that the stance eventually softens and leads to a more palatable deal, the fact that he is younger means a max for Thompson would start at $15.7 million and still allow for more flexibility in the Warriors’ future than a Love deal.
Thompson is an elite shooter and an above-average defender, but such a deal would likely cause the Warriors to pay a luxury tax if they are able to land Kevin Love and keep Thompson.
