While the upper layer of the Klay Thompson situation in the Bay only revealed the problems with the contract, the story has much more history. Klay went through not only physical recovery, but he was mentally prepared too when he returned in early 2022. His comeback was a story to look up to. The Splash Brothers came back, won a championship, and the franchise was back to its glory days. However, those may be the last glory days in Golden State with Steph on the roster.

Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins received their deserving extensions after their title run. Of course, the two had earned it for their epic postseason run. However, the front office prioritized this over Thompson and Green. Wiggins signed a 4-year $109 million, where Poole agreed on a four-year $128 million deal. Regardless, this left Klay and Draymond quite bothered. The reasons for the same were Green and Thompson had been the bedrock of the Warriors. When Klay was injured, Green took care of the business. When Draymond wasn’t on the floor, Thompson compensated for his absence on both ends of the floor. But still, it was the youngster and a fairly new Warriors who were the most appreciated.

There’s no denying that Poole and Wiggins deserved the extension. However, as great as they were that season, the Dubs were obligated to show that they were valued. But as the franchise moved on, Green got what he deserved when he signed a four-year $100 million contract last year.

On the other hand, Klay wasn’t presented with what he was truly valued for. Warriors owner, Joe Lacob invited Thompson to play golf and restore his faith in waiting for the right time. After struggling for the past two seasons, Thompson’s value has declined in the market. However, offering a contract that would pay him $20 million a year was the least they could do to keep the shooting guard. At one point this offseason, the front office and Thompson were at a freeze point when they refused to offer him any contract.

However, when it came to answering why they couldn’t bring the offer to the table, the reply was, “We just can’t do it yet”. Lacob wanted Klay to wait for the right moment, as the Warriors wanted to expand their roster. But at the end of the day, Thompson had been waiting for the opportunity for a long, and it was about time. Klay once said that he wanted to finish his career as a Warrior. The type of commitment he showed is rare to find, but for the most part, the front office could’ve at least tried. Convincing him to wait wouldn’t have been an option considering the series of events starting from the 2022 offseason. But as he finally departs, Thompson’s replacement is becoming hard to find.

Who would fill the spot for Klay Thompson?

Well, so far, the Warriors have been on the lower end of the offseason. They haven’t targeted any star players apart from Paul George, as their dreams were shattered after he entered free agency. Other than that, the Dubs signed Kyle Anderson, who would be a pretty good asset. Still, the Warriors will be missing a reliable shooting guard. Yes, Podziemski is the upcoming player, but the Dubs need a star player. They missed on the Zach LaVine trade when the Bulls offered him for CP3 and Wiggins.

That whole trade would’ve changed the trajectory of the offseason. Anderson would have filled the spot for Wiggins, not so much on the offensive end, but overall a great asset to play the role of a solid defender. Not only that but the Warriors can still go for the LaVine trade through a different path. He would be a great addition alongside Steph and Green. LaVine is not only a spot-up shooter but an elite scorer. This would compensate for Klay Thompson’s absence and improve their scoring as well.

It will be interesting to see whether the Dubs still consider LaVine as a prospect this summer. What are your thoughts on this trade? Do you think LaVine is the required replacement for Klay? Let us know in the comments.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what brand maker, Leonard Armato, had to say about the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe, check out this exclusive video by EssentiallySports.