@@National Basketball Association

[Slater] The Warriors traded Poole for Paul with the intention to duck the second apron and retain flexibility. The Warriors have been firm in their intent to eventually extend Klay Thompson and Thompson has maintained a desire to return.

  • September 25, 2023


Source: https://theathletic.com/4882568/2023/09/25/warriors-klay-thompson-extension-talks-training-camp/?source=user_shared_article

> The introduction of the second apron has made everything a little trickier. Beginning the following summer, if the Warriors are still into that second level of the tax bracket (where they currently live), they’ll be hit with a handful more punitive penalties, which include the loss of the mini midlevel exception, an inability to add buyout players in-season and frozen draft picks.

> That’s been viewed as a no go for the Warriors internally. They’re remodeling their roster with the intention of ducking the second apron next summer and maintaining flexibility. It was a core reason for the Poole-for-Chris Paul trade. Poole is owed $30.1 million for the 2024-25 season. Paul’s $30 million that season is fully non-guaranteed until June 28, able to be completely shed, if needed.

> That Poole-for-Paul swap should be viewed (among other things) as a clear sign of the Warriors’ commitment to keeping Thompson. He’s owed $43.1 million this upcoming season. An alternate path to duck under the second apron would’ve been to let Thompson’s contract expire and allow him to walk. But they’ve been firm in their intent to eventually extend him, and Thompson has maintained a desire to return.

15 comments

  1. People can bash Paul all they want, but he’s been a consummate professional at all the organizations and roles he’s been asked to play. He knows Steph/Klay are the obvious backcourt, and though I’m sure he’ll get plenty of playing time with them, he’s definitely not oblivious to the fact that he’s going to be a 6th man.

  2. I’m not sure if extending Klay is the right move objective wise.

    Dude is regressing on D and on offense. He’ll be just as good if not worse than Duncan Robinson when he signs that extension.

    Maybe he’s a trade piece for a second fiddle?

    If I were the Warriors, I’d bench and load manage Klay and Dray. Give Moody and Kuminga more minutes. Let CP, Klay and Dray roll the second unit and outsmart every other second unit?

  3. I respect the Warriors overall commitment to this core, including Draymond and Klay, but I really have to believe that at a certain point it’s time to actually move onto that second timeline. Both guys are clearly capable now of contributing to a winning team but idk if doubling down on them is actually wise.

  4. Klay should be resigned but not on a max he has regressed defensively since injury and is getting older.

  5. Warriors trade Poole for Paul to avoid apron. Keep flexibility and extend Thompson. Good move, but risky.

  6. Hot Take Klay is gonna get traded, and so is Green. The next phase of the Warrior’s is imminent.

  7. Warriors had the best starting 5 net rating in the entire league—they played 28 games I believe of 82 last season. Not seeing exactly how that equates to this team needing to break up. They have more depth and overall talent right now than we’ve seen in several years, along with better health.

  9. The default assumption among most fans I’ve talked about this with is that Klay will end up taking a similar contract to Draymond (in the 25-27M AAV range). Obviously that’s just speculation, but it seems to be in the right ballpark.

  11. I won’t be surprised if an extension doesn’t get done.

    The team will be shooting for something like 3y/80m to match up with the length of Draymond’s. Klay will want more of a last big contract. He could decide to play it out as a contract year and test the market.

    Letting Paul go will get them under the second apron. But the very next year, GPII, Looney, Kuminga, and Moody all expire. So if they want role players that are any good, they’ll go right back over it. And if CP3 plays well, they’ll want to offer him a contract, too.

    I don’t want Klay to leave, I just see it as a possibility. It would be pretty cool seeing what he can do elsewhere.

  12. If they want him off the bench I wonder what he will say he already said 2 months ago he wasn’t going to come off the bench lol

  13. All of this just so they can be under the secondary cap after re-signing Klay and be able to use the MLE next season.

  14. The franchise will do anything possible to keep the trio there, even if it costs them title chances. Amazing.

  15. Really should have traded Klay and Dray last season for decent rookies + picks and used the last and this season to develop so they can contest again next season with Steph for another championship.

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