Golden State Warriors: 3 players most likely to be traded in 2018-19

3. Klay Thompson

There’s no telling what the future may hold for Klay Thompson at this point. However, with his contract set to expire next offseason, the speculation is going to run rampant.

Will he stay with the Warriors? According to the Mercury News‘ Mark Medina, Thompson wants to. As history has shown us, though, nothing is guaranteed. For all we know, internal discussions in the coming months could cause a rift between the two parties, forcing the other Splash Brother to heavily weigh his options.

Maybe he leaves Golden State high and dry by signing elsewhere during 2019 free agency. Just about every team with enough cap space would be interested. It’s believed the Los Angeles Lakers already have him in their crosshairs, according to ESPN‘s Ramona Shelburne. Pairing Thompson with LeBron James would certainly be a devastating superstar duo for Magic Johnson and co.

If conversations between Thompson and the Warriors start to head down a path that doesn’t lead to a re-signing, maybe the club decides a trade is best. That way, they recoup some value instead of simply letting their dynamic two-way guard walk without getting anything in return. The tactic has been used before, and will be used again.

Is losing Thompson ideal? Absolutely not. Not having him on the roster would be a gut punch to the Warriors’ championship hopes. Still, if he’s prepared to leave, maybe a trade would be in the team’s best interest.