Draymond Green on Klay Thompson's Near-Exit

Draymond Green says Klay Thompson was 90% likely to leave the Warriors in 2019 free agency before injuries changed his path.

Draymond Green stated on his podcast that Klay Thompson was highly likely to leave the Golden State Warriors in 2019 free agency. Green put the probability at 90 percent, saying Thompson wanted to test being a No. 1 option elsewhere before knee and Achilles injuries wiped out 2 1/2 years of his career and kept him with the team.

Green's comments reflect on Thompson's 13-season tenure with the Warriors from his 2011 draft through the 2023/24 season. "Everyone tries to make Klay the guy Klay was after the injuries," Green said. "I won't go for that."

The veteran forward insisted the injuries altered the course of NBA history. "Then he got hurt, and so he stayed," Green explained. "But one thing I can assure you, there was a 90 percent chance my brother was going to leave Golden State and go elsewhere and test that No. 1 option thing out.

Unfortunately, it wasn't in the cards for him." Thompson, after a buyout with the Mavericks, is now a member of the Miami Heat on a two-year deal.

Miles Bridges' Defensive Fit in Phoenix

New Phoenix Suns forward Miles Bridges, who has averaged 20-plus points in three career seasons, is expected to make a major defensive impact. Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes that Bridges' versatility could allow teammate Dillon Brooks to play more small forward.

Bridges has the ability to be an elite defender. He is seen as versatile enough to guard the 3 and contain dribble drives to the paint, as well as making switches. "Miles is going to be able to give us that size, the agility, and the athleticism to guard the fours," Brooks said.

He plans to challenge Bridges to expand his defensive range. "It's going to make me be able to guard some of the wings and the guards, which I like, but it's interchangeable with me and Miles."

Brooks outlined the goal. "I'm going to challenge him to be able to guard guards and challenge him to be able to get out of his comfort zone to make him better so you can guard any position, not only fours and threes, but, guarding guys like Kawhi Leonard to De'Aaron Fox." This defensive flexibility could be key for the Suns' standings push.

Thunder Launch Local Broadcast Deal

The Oklahoma City Thunder have formed a new local broadcast partnership for the upcoming season. The team has inked a deal with locally-owned Griffin Media.

In a related move, the franchise has also launched a direct-to-consumer streaming service called Thunder+. The service will allow local fans to subscribe and watch every Thunder game that is not exclusively on national television. A key feature is the absence of blackout restrictions for those local subscribers.

Report on LeBron James' Financial Move

A Bloomberg report reveals a previously unreported financial transaction involving LeBron James. Months before signing with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, an LLC controlled by James borrowed nearly $300 million from two Midwestern life insurers.

The insurers are advised by an arm of Guggenheim Partners. The bonds are structured against future revenue from James' endorsement deals, which include a lifetime Nike sponsorship. They are not due until 2049. A spokesperson for James described the arrangement as a standard financial structure for high-earning individuals.

Source: Hoops Rumors