Bill Simmons speculates Klay Thompson trade for the Kings
Jun 26, 2023, 11:15 AM | Updated: 11:25 am
Loren Elliott/Getty Images
The NBA trade rumors are only heating up as we move closer to the start of free agency this week.
With that comes a slew of hypothetical trades from media all across the country, including Mr. Bill Simmons of the The Ringer. Simmons discussed a variety of moves on his latest podcast with Ryen Russillo, some of them including the Sacramento Kings.
After moving Richaun Holmes and the 24th pick to Dallas for more cap flexibility, many are wondering who the Kings are hunting this week. While some are speculating one of the bigger free-agent names, Simmons thinks it could be a formidable piece from their rivals down the road.
“What would happen if the Kings called the Warriors and said, ‘We’ll give you [Kevin] Huerter for Klay [Thompson]?'” Simmons said on his podcast Sunday night.
The podcast host went on to mention that he has no intel on the matter, only speculating with trade ideas for Sacramento. Simmons based the deal off of Kings’ owner Vivek Ranadive and his past with the Warriors. He also mentioned Sacramento’s willingness to be relevant for the foreseeable future, adding that a Klay Thompson deal puts the NBA on notice next season.
“[Sacramento] will take back the last Klay year, and then we’ll figure out some extension with him. And now we have one of the three Warriors, take us seriously,” Simmons continued.
New BS Podcast w/ @ryenarussillo
—Sneaky summer teams: Sac, Dallas, Hou, Utah.
—Is there a simple Dame trade staring at us?
—Would GSW dare to trade… (gulp)?
—We did a “one more time/one last job” draft.
—Guesses for EVERY major free agent (team + $$$)https://t.co/MyN6ueswwa— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 26, 2023
By the end of the discussion though, both hosts agreed that the deal seemed unlikely at this time. Russillo made the key point of comparing this Klay Thompson transaction to when Allen Iverson was rumored to be heading to the Boston Celtics in the 2000s.
“I don’t think Golden State would do it,” Russillo stated. “It feels a little bit like the [Philadelphia 76ers] eventually saying ‘we can’t see Iverson in a Celtics uniform’…I don’t know if the Warriors would want Klay running around in a Kings’ uniform.”
Sacramento has been linked to other Golden State players this offseason, with the Draymond Green rumors heating up as we get closer to June 30th.
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