Could Warriors Star Consider Detroit Pistons in Free Agency?

Is there a chance Klay Thompson meets with the Detroit Pistons in free agency?

Jan 18, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Detroit Pistons guards Hamidou Diallo (left) and Cade Cunningham (2) harass Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports | D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

One of the biggest storylines of the 2024 free agency period revolves around the future of Golden State Warriors star, Klay Thompson.

For weeks, it’s been suggested that Thompson’s time with the Warriors could be coming to a close. It turns out that Thompson is working on a change of scenery, and he’s set to meet with a handful of teams soon.

Could the Detroit Pistons be on the star shooter’s radar? According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Thompson won’t be giving the Pistons a look for now.

There are four teams in the mix for Thompson, where interest is mutual. Per Wojnarowski, the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, and the Philadelphia 76ers are will earn a meeting with the All-Star guard.

A lack of interest in Detroit doesn’t come as a shock. When it became clear that Thompson could hit the free agency market, it was reported that he wants to land on a title contender.

The Pistons have struggled for several seasons, failing to make a playoff bid since 2019. Last year, Detroit finished the 2023-2024 season with a 14-68 record. It was the league’s worst record, and marked the second time in a row the Pistons failed to exceed 20 wins.

Detroit could’ve contended for Thompson’s services if he was looking for the best contract available to him. With plenty of cap space, the Pistons can splurge on one of the market’s top stars. Since Thompson’s more interested in a specific situation over contract numbers, the Pistons won’t intrigue him.

Last year, Thompson appeared in 77 games for Golden State. He averaged 18 points while shooting 39 percent from three. In nearly 800 games, Thompson has averaged 20 points throughout his career. He established himself as one of the NBA’s top three-point shooters since landing on the Warriors in 2011.