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How much does Klay Thompson get as a FA if he leaves GS?

While a big name, at this point Klay is really only a solid reserve level player, or at best a marginal starter. He could be useful as a rotation guy making MLE money for a lot of teams, but I'm wondering what team is offering a lot more than that?

Is there a team that would offer him a 2yr/$60M or 3yr/$80M deal? If so, who would be that team and why? (obviously not any team without cap room which eliminates most of the league).

This is really interesting to me. I keep hearing suggestions of $30-35M a year for 2 or 3 years. That feels high to me, but maybe teams are paying the premium for the championship experience and not just the shooting?

So I think I'm undervaluing his market.

Texas Chuck wrote:This is really interesting to me. I keep hearing suggestions of $30-35M a year for 2 or 3 years. That feels high to me, but maybe teams are paying the premium for the championship experience and not just the shooting?

So I think I'm undervaluing his market.

I'm in the same boat. On paper he's a $15-20M per year player, maybe. But he's obviously got name recognition and a championship experience and a bunch of other "intangibles" that push his value upward.

I don't see him as any cap space team's Plan A, but if they strike out on their other pursuits I could see someone like Philly or Orlando throwing a big $, short term deal at him.

Texas Chuck wrote:This is really interesting to me. I keep hearing suggestions of $30-35M a year for 2 or 3 years. That feels high to me, but maybe teams are paying the premium for the championship experience and not just the shooting?

So I think I'm undervaluing his market.

Personally I think he's 'worth' about 2yt/$30M or 3yr/$40M. For GS I'd easily go another $5M/yr over (so 2yr/$40 or 3yr/$55) but above that really feels like bidding against yourself.

If teams really need a top shooting wing with poor defense than Buddy Heild is also a UFA and won't cost $30M/yr to sign.

He might get something like FVV special (short high aav contract w/ TO) or a chris paul like contract (longer but multiple unguaranteed years

Godaddycurse wrote:He might get something like FVV special (short high aav contract w/ TO) or a chris paul like contract (longer but multiple unguaranteed years

This makes sense. Though he still seems like a worse player than either of those guys when they got those deals.

Too much.

Some team will bust in FA and have to sign someone.

Instant buyers remorse.

giberish wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:This is really interesting to me. I keep hearing suggestions of $30-35M a year for 2 or 3 years. That feels high to me, but maybe teams are paying the premium for the championship experience and not just the shooting?

So I think I'm undervaluing his market.

Personally I think he's 'worth' about 2yt/$30M or 3yr/$40M. For GS I'd easily go another $5M/yr over (so 2yr/$40 or 3yr/$55) but above that really feels like bidding against yourself.

If teams really need a top shooting wing with poor defense than Buddy Heild is also a UFA and won't cost $30M/yr to sign.

Huh?

You're vastly underrating Klay if you think he is a 13-15 Million Year player. That's like 6th man money, maybe 5th starter money.

Klay is, at minimum, worth Dillon Brooks contract. He is worth more than Harrison Barnes and Grayson Allen as well (Both signed for 15-18 AAV).

Klay isn't worth 30+ AAV, but the idea he is worth just the MLE shows a complete lack of contract values given out over the past 1-2 years.

My guess is he returns to the Warriors on 3/70 (3rd year Unguaranteed or Partial Guarantee).

I think he could 3/75 fully guaranteed in free agency. He would be a perfect 3/4 on the Pistons.

I'm not sold Klay is a better player than Grayson Allen. Allen defends better these days and absolutely shoots better. And Klay isn't known for doing much else.

giberish wrote:How much does Klay Thompson get as a FA if he leaves GS?

While a big name, at this point Klay is really only a solid reserve level player, or at best a marginal starter. He could be useful as a rotation guy making MLE money for a lot of teams, but I'm wondering what team is offering a lot more than that?

Is there a team that would offer him a 2yr/$60M or 3yr/$80M deal? If so, who would be that team and why? (obviously not any team without cap room which eliminates most of the league).

i dont get this. yes, he isnt what he was. but even dealing with an injury last year, he put up 18 ppg with 39% from 3. i think a majority of teams would love that from a starter.

Colbinii wrote:My guess is he returns to the Warriors on 3/70 (3rd year Unguaranteed or Partial Guarantee).

I think he could 3/75 fully guaranteed in free agency. He would be a perfect 3/4 on the Pistons.

This is more or less what I think ends up happening. $75M over 3 years back to GS with the last year being a TO/partial guarantee

We did this same dance with Draymond last year and he ended up coming back for ~$25M AAV. He's a better player but Klay has a less context-specific skillset.

giberish wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:This is really interesting to me. I keep hearing suggestions of $30-35M a year for 2 or 3 years. That feels high to me, but maybe teams are paying the premium for the championship experience and not just the shooting?

So I think I'm undervaluing his market.

Personally I think he's 'worth' about 2yt/$30M or 3yr/$40M. For GS I'd easily go another $5M/yr over (so 2yr/$40 or 3yr/$55) but above that really feels like bidding against yourself.

If teams really need a top shooting wing with poor defense than Buddy Heild is also a UFA and won't cost $30M/yr to sign.

Klay may not be the lock down defender he used to be, but i fully believe he could play credible team defense. something Hield never did

Texas Chuck wrote:I'm not sold Klay is a better player than Grayson Allen. Allen defends better these days and absolutely shoots better. And Klay isn't known for doing much else.

Different positions. Klay provides his spacing from the 3/4 while Allen is more of a 2-guard only.

Colbinii wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:I'm not sold Klay is a better player than Grayson Allen. Allen defends better these days and absolutely shoots better. And Klay isn't known for doing much else.

Different positions. Klay provides his spacing from the 3/4 while Allen is more of a 2-guard only.

when has Klay been playing the 4?

Colbinii wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:I'm not sold Klay is a better player than Grayson Allen. Allen defends better these days and absolutely shoots better. And Klay isn't known for doing much else.

Different positions. Klay provides his spacing from the 3/4 while Allen is more of a 2-guard only.

I'm not a position guy. I'm a role guy. It's a PNR league and everyone switches. And both guys are expected to move off the ball and space the floor on offense. Klay probably does hold up better against a big in the post, but Allen holds up better on the perimeter against guards and wings and that's just much more relevant these days.

Texas Chuck wrote:

Colbinii wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:I'm not sold Klay is a better player than Grayson Allen. Allen defends better these days and absolutely shoots better. And Klay isn't known for doing much else.

Different positions. Klay provides his spacing from the 3/4 while Allen is more of a 2-guard only.

I'm not a position guy. I'm a role guy. It's a PNR league and everyone switches. And both guys are expected to move off the ball and space the floor on offense. Klay probably does hold up better against a big in the post, but Allen holds up better on the perimeter against guards and wings and that's just much more relevant these days.

Fully agree here. 5 years ago I'd side more with Colbinii.

Texas Chuck wrote:

Colbinii wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:I'm not sold Klay is a better player than Grayson Allen. Allen defends better these days and absolutely shoots better. And Klay isn't known for doing much else.

Different positions. Klay provides his spacing from the 3/4 while Allen is more of a 2-guard only.

I'm not a position guy. I'm a role guy. It's a PNR league and everyone switches. And both guys are expected to move off the ball and space the floor on offense. Klay probably does hold up better against a big in the post, but Allen holds up better on the perimeter against guards and wings and that's just much more relevant these days.

Sure, so Klay's position allows him to switch mostly 2-4. Gayson can only guard 1-2, and Klay is a lot better at guarding a majority of wings than Grayson is guards.

Getting floor spacing from a player with more size is more important than getting the same/similar spacing from a smaller player. All else, the biggest difference between Grayson and Klay is their Size, and Size wins basketball games.

Texas Chuck wrote:I'm not sold Klay is a better player than Grayson Allen. Allen defends better these days and absolutely shoots better. And Klay isn't known for doing much else.

I'll second preferring Allen over Klay.

tiderulz wrote:

Colbinii wrote:

Texas Chuck wrote:I'm not sold Klay is a better player than Grayson Allen. Allen defends better these days and absolutely shoots better. And Klay isn't known for doing much else.

Different positions. Klay provides his spacing from the 3/4 while Allen is more of a 2-guard only.

when has Klay been playing the 4?

It is what he defends the best--Larger and less athletic wings. The issue with Golden State is Draymond isn't a full-time Center, so Klay is forced to be at the 3 since many minutes with Golden State includes a conventional Center next to Draymond.

I picture Klay at his best as a larger wing. Like Chuck said, position's don't really matter here, but the point is Klay isn't quick enough like he once was as this large, POA defender. He has a ton of strength still and at 6'6" you really want him to be one of your two "wings".