NBA Rumors: Los Angeles Clippers Eye Klay Thompson trade; Kevin Durant Contract Forces SG Exit

By Mitch de Leon
NBA: Golden State Warriors at New York Knicks
Jan 31, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson (11) dunks against New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and Knicks small forward Lance Thomas (42) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. The Warriors defeated the Knicks 116-95.  Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Clippers have been open with their need to upgrade their roster in time to redeem themselves in the next NBA season. With the core team composed of Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan failing to impress in the previous season, Doc Rivers is said to be targeting a Klay Thompson trade with the Golden State Warriors. An NBA trade involving half of the Splash Brothers, with Stephen Curry as the other one, the Los Angeles Clippers could give the Draymond Green team a deal that could potentially clear up their salary cap space especially after the Kevin Durant free agency campaign.

The Golden State Warriors had a remarkable season last year, beating the NBA record of the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan with 72 wins. However, the Stephen Curry team fell short in Game 7 of the NBA Finals and lost the title to the Cleveland Cavaliers of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Hence, it comes as no surprise that the Kevin Durant free agency attracted the team and pushed them to exhaust all means to sign the former Oklahoma City Thunder star.

Much to the chagrin of Russell Westbrook and Steven Adams, the Kevin Durant free agency train indeed stopped with the Golden State Warriors. With a super team now in the hands of Stephen Curry, another problem pops out. Reports note that the entry of Kevin Durant in the Golden State Warriors makes Klay Thompson seem redundant. That is, fans of the Dub Nation are reportedly pushing for a Klay Thompson trade to clear up cap space and sign another star who can play a different position.

"I feel kind of disrespected that people keep using the term sacrifice to describe me and describe us," said Klay Thompson of the comments on the roster changes. The Golden State Warriors star added, "We all want to see each other do well. But I'm not sacrificing [expletive], because my game isn't changing. I'm still going to try to get buckets, hit shots, come off screens. I want to win and have a fun time every game we play."

The comments of Klay Thompson came after reports surfaced that he will be assigned the sixth man role. That is, Kevin Durant will be expected to take over the starting position in the Golden State Warriors alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. The recent performance of Kevin Durant, wherein he and Russell Westbrook worked together to almost unseat the Andre Iguodala squad as kings of the Western Conference, strengthens the NBA rumors that a Klay Thompson trade is on its way.

However, it looks like Kevin Durant himself refuted the NBA rumors. According to the former Oklahoma City Thunder star, the team will still depend on Klay Thompson in the same way as the past seasons.

He shared, "We want Klay to stay Klay. We don't want him to change. The games dictate where the shots come from. I may shoot 12 shots one night; Klay may shoot eight or nine shots one night, and Steph may shoot 25 shots one night. And it could be a different flow another night."

  • ‘Wang Mingdao’s Diary’ reproduction highlights complexities of contemporary Chinese Christianity

    On December 9, the China Graduate School of Theology (中国神学研究院) hosted a public lecture titled “A Courageous Witness in the Times—Launch of Wang Mingdao (王明道)’s Diary.” The lecture, themed “Faith Patterns in Beijing’s Christian Churches Through the Lens of Wang Mingdao’s Diary,” featured Dr. Ni Buxiao (倪步晓), Associate Director and Assistant Professor at the Christian Faith and Chinese Culture Research Center of Alliance Bible Seminary (建道神学院), as the keynote speaker.

  • Floating library ‘Doulos Hope’ arrives in Taiwan; spreading love and hope from a former cruise ship

    Doulos Hope, the international floating book fair ship, has returned to Taiwan and is now docked at Kaohsiung Port, open to the public from December 18, 2024, to January 12, 2025. Originally built in 1991 and renovated in 2022, the ship features over 2,000 books on various topics, including faith, science, and art. It is operated by a diverse crew of 140 volunteers from 25 countries, offering services such as education, healthcare, and community outreach. The ship's mission is to spread hope and

  • Chinese Online School of Theology publishes annual ministry report: Expanding Chinese theological education through new strategies

    In the 2023-2024 academic year, New York-based Chinese Online School of Theology (COST) has seen significant development in expanding its ministry in theological education and mission outreach. They have promoted a series of new events and projects to explore different strategies that expand theological education for Chinese ministers. The following are some highlights from the 2023-2024 annual report:

  • Dr. Fenggang Yang: How foreign forces transformed traditional Chinese legal systems

    In a recent lecture to Chinese Christians, scholar Dr. Fenggang Yang (杨凤岗) gave an in-depth analysis of the historical evolution and contemporary significance of the modern legal system in Chinese society. He explored the tensions and integrations between traditional law and modern rule of law, highlighting the distinctive characteristics of China’s traditional legal system and emphasizing the role of foreign influences in introducing modern legal practices into Chinese society.

Top Stories