Atlanta Hawks Rumors: Klay Thompson Will Be Free Agent Focus This Offseason

A quick piece detailing the Atlanta Hawks focus on Klay Thompson in free agency this offseason.

Though most of the attention surrounding the Atlanta Hawks is, understandably, centered around what the team plans to do in the 2019 NBA Draft, that is not the only area in which the team can improve its roster ahead of the 2019-20 season.

No, the Hawks are also the holders of an impressive amount of cap space this offseason, which we have previously expressed can be used on a variety of needs: Perhaps the team will bolster its backcourt or maybe look to add a big man with its robust amount of space.

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However, according to a recent blog post by Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Atlanta Hawks will actually be focusing on the Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson in free agency – as long as he doesn’t sign a maximum contract with Golden State.

According to Cunningham, “he [Thompson] will listen to free-agent pitches from other teams. And if that happens, the Hawks are confident they’d get a chance to persuade Thompson to sign with them.”

Of course, Atlanta Hawks General Manager Travis Schlenk has a relationship with Thompson due to being the Warriors’ Assistant GM for years. Though the combination of Schlenk and Thompson might seem a bit too on the nose, Cunningham dissipates such skepticism:

“I heard Travis Schlenk planned to make a run at Thompson as a free agent soon after the Hawks hired Schlenk as GM in 2017. I figured it was just dot-connecting speculation… but since then several people in the know have insisted that Schlenk is focused on trying to sign Thompson, and now I believe that’s his plan if the Warriors provide an opening.”

Of course, this is all in the early stages as the NBA season is still not over – especially for the Warriors, who are looking to win their third straight title. For Thompson, his focus is staying healthy for Game 3 after an injury in Game 2, but with free agency on the horizon, could the Atlanta Hawks pull off their biggest free agency coup in franchise history this offseason with Klay?

Even if Klay doesn’t sign in Atlanta, just getting a meeting with him would be a step in the right direction for a franchise that has always had a hard time even getting a meeting with big-name players.