The Golden State Warriors have “prioritized” pursuing Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George and other targets over negotiating a new deal with Warriors veteran Klay Thompson, sources tell NBA insider Marc Stein.
Stein reports that the trade pursuits have been “only widening the gulf between the sides” of the Thompson negotiation.
George has until Saturday to exercise a $48.8 million player option with the Clippers.
Thompson, who has played 11 seasons for the Warriors, is set to hit free agency for the second time in his career if he and Golden State do not agree to a new deal by Sunday.
The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Anthony Slater also reported Friday that the Warriors “have legitimate interest in making George part of their new core alongside Steph Curry and Draymond Green.”
The Warriors want to make another title run with Curry, and George “appears to be the most plausible star player left in play” amid reports that Jimmy Butler will return for another season with the Miami Heat, Amick and Slater wrote.
If the Warriors want to make a sign-and trade agreement to acquire George, however, the deal could be costly.
Amick and Slater reported that the Denver Nuggets tried to arrange a similar trade and were faced with the prospect of giving George a four-year max contract while also giving up “Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji and a significant amount of draft capital.”
If the Warriors believe George is the missing piece that could help Curry and Green lead the team on a title run, a price that steep could be worth it.
Making that deal would likely mean closing the door on the possibility of Thompson returning, however.
The Warriors are reportedly willing to offer George the max deal, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. With Warriors owner Joe Lacob saying in February that the team would like to avoid the luxury tax if possible, it seems impossible that the team would both be able to acquire George and re-sign Thompson despite head coach Steve Kerr’s support of the veteran returning to San Francisco.