Monday 1 July 2019 05:34, UK
All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell is reportedly joining the Golden State Warriors while shooting guard Klay Thompson has agreed a max deal to stay with the team.
ESPN reported on Sunday night that the Warriors and Brooklyn Nets agreed to a sign-and-trade involving Russell, who will receive a four-year, $117m deal.
Russell is a restricted free agent. It wasn't immediately known what the Nets were receiving in exchange.
Golden State still needed to clear salary to make the deal and was able to shed some by dealing veteran forward Andre Iguodala (due to make nearly $17.2m in 2019-20) to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Warriors also reportedly sent protected first-round picks in 2024 and 2025 and an unprotected first-round pick in 2026 to the Grizzlies.
There was no word in the report what Memphis would send back to Golden State to complete the deal.
The addition of Russell and retention of Thompson comes on the same day in which All-Star forward Kevin Durant bolted Golden State in favour of joining the Nets.
The Warriors were banking on Thompson staying and the 29-year-old agreed to a five-year, $190m max deal with the Warriors on Sunday night, according to multiple outlets.
The agreement leaves Thompson under contract to the Warriors through the 2023-24 campaign.
Thompson, a five-time All-Star, could miss most or all off the 2019-20 season due to a torn ACL in his left knee that occurred during Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors.
Thompson elected to stick with fellow three-point marksman Stephen Curry to keep one of the league's top backcourts intact. The Warriors have won three NBA titles in five Finals appearances with that elite duo.
Thompson has spent his entire eight-year career with Golden State since being the No 11 overall pick in the 2011 draft out of Washington State.
He has averaged 20 or more points in each of the past five seasons, including a 21.5 mark in 2018-19. Thompson has buried over 200 three-pointers in seven straight seasons.
Thompson made 241 three-pointers last season, his third-most behind 276 in 2015-16 and 268 in 2016-17. He holds the season-game record of 14, set last season against the Chicago Bulls.
Russell was an All-Star for the Nets last season when he established career highs of 21.1 points and 7.0 assists per game.
The 23-year-old was the second overall selection by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2015 but struggled to fit in while averaging 13.2 points as a rookie and 15.6 in his second season.
Russell was traded to the Nets prior to the 2017-18 season and averaged 15.5 points in his first season with the club. He was limited to 48 games due to knee surgery. He has career averages of 16.5 points, 5.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds.
