Source: Warriors apply for $9.3M DPE after Klay's injury

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The Warriors are hoping to have another asset at their disposal as they try to build their roster for the 2020-21 NBA season.

In the wake of Klay Thompson's season-ending torn Achilles, the Warriors have applied for the $9.3 million Disabled Player Exception, NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole confirmed.

The Athletic's Shams Charania was first to report that the Warriors had applied for the DPE.

There's no word on when the Warriors will find out of the NBA is granting them the exception, but with free agents coming off the board, the sooner a ruling is handed down, the better for Golden State.

Under the rules of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Warriors can use this exception to sign a player to a one-year contract or acquire a player via trade with one year remaining on his contract.

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On Thursday, general manager Bob Myers told reporters that the Warriors would look into applying for the Disabled Players Exception.

"We've actually had those conversations," Myers said while sitting outside Chase Center. "We had to await kind of what the severity of the injury was to go down that road. But we should have that answer soon and see what optionality that provides. Nobody ever -- a disabled player exception roughly means you lost a player for a year. You never want it for any player, certainly not for a Klay Thompson. Potentially it's another vehicle to look at.

"And we're kind of doing this on the fly, too. But it's a fair question, and it's something we've looked into."

Thompson suffered the injury Wednesday, hours before the Warriors used the No. 2 overall draft pick on center James Wiseman.

The Warriors reportedly already have used their Traded-Player Exception to acquire Kelly Oubre Jr. from the Oklahoma City Thunder for a protected 2021 first-round pick.

That leaves the Warriors with the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception worth about $6 million and minimum contracts with which to sign free agents. Getting the $9.3 million DPE would be a huge boost to Myers' abilities to add a significant piece for the upcoming season.

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While the Warriors missed out on Avery Bradley, who reportedly agreed to a two-year contract with the Miami Heat on Saturday, there still are intriguing free agent options available like Marc Gasol or Serge Ibaka. If the Warriors decide to pursue a trade with the DPE, they could try to convince the Houston Rockets to part with P.J. Tucker, who is making roughly $8 million in the final year of his contract.

With Thompson expected to miss the entire 2020-21 season, the NBA should grant the Warriors the exception. Once that happens, Myers will have to move quickly to acquire a player worth adding to the roster.

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