Klay Thompson and D’Angelo Russell (Image Source: Getting Images)

Klay Thompson is set to appear in a new color in the following season after 13 years of service at the Golden State Warriors. The biggest question that popped up is where the veteran’s next destination will be. For the past couple of days, the franchise most associated with Klay has been the LA Lakers.

Their ace LeBron James has also reportedly got in touch with the swingman, which raised more hopes. However, since the franchise did not have enough cap space to afford the big man, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst passed on his suggestion to manage the situation.

While discussing the topic on “NBA Today”, the Insider said, “The Lakers cannot afford Klay Thompson right now. The only way it’s going to work is if they make another trade to offload salary. LeBron James is not taking a $35 million pay cut. You know, he will take a pay cut. He’s not coming down to a massive amount of money.” Then he further added, “So they need to make another trade in the interim before Klay Thompson makes up his mind probably with D’Angelo Russell.” (After 4:20 min)

Russell had just opted in and decided to stay back with the franchise, but it doesn’t seem like he would be that lucky.

There were rumors that both LeBron and teammate Anthony Davis asked the Lakers to invest in an elite player. With his days on the hardwood numbered, the 39-year-old desperately wants to win his fifth championship title and Klay could be the piece to perfectly fit in the squad. However, the Lakers have a tough competition, who are waiting to grab the opportunity before.

Why the Mavs Are Ahead of Lakers in Klay Thompson Chase?

While the Lakers are trying to manage the financial side for Klay Thompson, one franchise could lock up the deal soon. Speaking about the other options for Klay, Windhorst named the Dallas Mavericks as a potential prospect.

“And if we look at the teams that are trying to get Klay before the Lakers do, one of them is the Dallas Mavericks,” spilled the ESPN Insider. “Yep. The Dallas Mavericks have already made their trade to reduce their salary. They have made Tim Hardaway trade with Detroit. They are ahead of the Lakers.” (After 4:47 min)

The Mavs have shown this season how strong Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving’s bond is. With their stunning partnership, the duo led the franchise to the NBA Finals but gave in at the last stage. Adding Klay to the squad would only make the team better and ready for another remarkable season.