In Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr’s exit interview, he mentioned the idea of Thompson coming off the bench next season, allowing his minutes and usage to be lessened. That makes sense in the grand scheme…But is that what Thompson wants? His durability is a point of pride. He has not hinted at a desire for that to diminish. His future role will presumably be part of his free-agent negotiations and ultimate choice.
There’s a sense that Thompson is really taking these extra couple months to assess his future and decide whether he wants to continue with the Warriors, regardless of contract offer. What else is out there from a money, role and lifestyle standpoint? How much of a priority do the Warriors make him in the lead up? What is their final offer and how does it compare?
We’ll see what type of interest Thompson is able to generate. His prime is over, but his gravity, toughness, shooting, defensive competitiveness and brand still combine into a package that could make sense at the right price in the right market with the right surrounding teammates…So much of free agency is already decided prior to July 1. That’s been obvious for years.
Thompson is eligible for an extension currently. He could’ have signed one at any point during the season, but the Warriors — after a preseason offer was declined — never re-engaged with Thompson. If he were to sign with another team, it can’t happen until free agency starts on June 30. But it feels like we’ll have either an inkling or an answer about which direction it is heading prior because, if the Warriors ultimately prioritize Thompson, an extension can be agreed upon before free agency.
If the Warriors use Paul’s contract in a trade that brings back a large salary, it’d be a pre-free agency signal that Thompson could be on the move. Warriors owner Joe Lacob has expressed an expectation that they’ll duck the second apron and even a desire to get under the luxury tax (though there’s no official edict). If Paul’s contract is shed entirely, that generates room for a Thompson contract that still keeps their books manageable.
18 comments
Klay is gone. Letting him walk instantly fixes the tax apron issues and allows you to use CP3, JK, Wiggins and maybe Draymond in trade to upgrade the roster. The best thing the Warrior can do to begin to reset is let Klay walk.
Just don’t overpay him. Offer him 6th man money, because that’s how he can best help this team as currently constructed. If another team offers him more and he wants to take it, wish him well
Klay can get a max 19m a year from us in order to enable the TPMLE
Everything comes to an end eventually.
He def still has a lot of skills. And can contribute to a playoff team.
We don’t have the pieces to keep him. Not worth paying $500 million to barely make the play-in tournament.
He’d be really good for a team that needs shooting, specifically. Where he can get open shots by having others create for him
With Deangelo Russell wetting the bed with a big fat 0 while texting on the bench, I have a strong feeling the Lakers are going to make a huge run at Klay.
When he mentioned mental health, I thought championship expectations were too much for him this season.
It’s going to be between the lakers and the warriors. If we low ball him he’s gone.
People really aren’t even discussing what I think is going to be the reason Thompson leaves: playing time. He does NOT want to come off the bench, even though that is what worked best for the Warriors. However, because of that, if the lakers give him a similar offer but promise to start him for at least the start of the season, I think he’ll go there. And he wouldn’t mean it as disrespect towards anyone, just that he’s competitive and wants to prove he’s still got it.
I think coming off the bench from the get go for Thompson would be the last thing he’d resign himself to. Unless we way overpay him, which of course, we are not.
We cannot simultaneously hope Klay will take a team friendly deal and also be willing to come off the bench for us. Other teams will pay and/or promise much more. I’d love to be wrong though, he should stay a warrior for life.
Klay said that he’s going to do what gives him the most happiness. He grew up a Lakers and a Trailblazers fan. I think he is going to weigh the value of staying with the dubs for his entire career vs. playing for one of his favorite childhood teams, and being close to the coast/his family. Whatever decision he makes, he deserves that happiness.
I want him to stay 😔
There was a time where Klay needed to be on the bench. As the season progressed, there was also a time when the guy starting instead of Klay went into a slump as well. Who’s slump was the worst? Not going to argue that one, but they were both significant and obvious to everyone watching the play.
Kerr was extremely rigid this year – people were pulled when they were the hot hand, people stayed in when they were clearly not on their game on that night. I have not seen if Kerr actually said what is represented in this article due to the pay wall, or if we’re getting clickbait journalism.
I could see Klay moving on from this kind of coaching pretty easily.
People sleep on Klay’s competitive spirit. The guy really believes in himself and he may not be ready to ride into the sunset with his guys. He probably will feel insulted by the Warriors offer but that will fuel him for his next destination. Guys like Klay need to feel needed and it seems like since 2021 the Warriors slowly have been pivoting away from him with JP and Moody and now with Kuminga upcoming contract situation. If it wasn’t for Kerr being a Klay loyalist it appears the organization may have moved on already
As I said before maybe he knows he’s limited now but he feels like his skillsets would be better with guys that play inside like Giannis or Embiid where defenders collapse on the inside where he can get more open shots. Maybe he wants a team where he could show vet leadership with young playoff team like OKC or Orlando, high energy teams with young legs to mitigate his main weaknesses which is covering ground defensively. All I’m saying is that outside of sentimentality and comfort there are teams that can give Klay more than what we can offer.
Take klay min off and warriors get ALOT better defensively. Take Klays usage off and everyone gets better offensively. Not that hard to find someone to spread the floor and play better defense… they already have someone, in fact.
The dread I’m feeling. I want this team to win of course but it’s gonna feel different without Klay who helped us get to 6 finals and win 4 rings. I hope that no matter what he decides to do, it makes him happy
I have a bad feeling we’re going to offer him something like a 4 year 120 contract. Just lock us in to mediocrity and live out the rest of the big 3s careers. Also who tf would trade for Chris Paul’s contract?
Huh? Are they cleaning salary to sign Klay, or is it a sign Klay isn’t coming back? Article says both.
We did this whole song and dance last year with Dray.
Klay will be back on a reasonable contract.
He’s literally not allowed to talk extension until June 30th lol this is literally nothing but conjecture from Slater trying to make a period where an extension can’t be done anyway into something dramatic