There was never a moment that Klay Thompson looked ready to leave the Golden State Warriors, but the latest rumblings out of San Francisco do not bode well for this future with the team. According to NBA insider Anthony Slater, contract negotiations are currently at a deadlock with just a few weeks to go before the start of free agency.
“Because nothing is currently on the table… Talks are essentially frozen,” reported The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “There has been no offer made. It’s more probable than ever he may leave the only franchise he’s known, regardless of his market… There has been no traction between Thompson and the Orlando Magic.”
It’s no secret that the Warriors are looking to cut costs this summer. Between Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and others, the Warriors payroll for last season was a whopping $209.3 million. To pay that kind of money only to finish 10th in the West was a brutal blow to the team and, frankly, it was unsustainable.
While the Warriors are committed to Curry and Draymond, Klay Thompson is a free agent this summer and the Warriors are not keen to pay him top dollar. After two major injuries and 11 years of mileage, Thompson has fallen off greatly from his peak and last season was a testament to his steep decline with averages of 17.9 points on just 43.2% shooting.
Klay, a 5x All-Star, still wants to get paid and treated like the legend he is but the Warriors do not seem willing to give him the kind of contract that he’s after. At 34 years old, this may be the last chance for Klay to secure the bag and he’s not about to waste the opportunity for the sake of staying loyal to a team that has already cast him aside.
There Is “Friction” Between Klay Thompson And The Warriors
Thompson has very close ties to the Warriors that stretch to the front office, the coaching staff, and especially his fellow players. Just a few years ago, it was unfathomable that he would consider donning a different jersey.
But now, after being relegated to the bench and being lowballed on his next contract, Thompson finds himself at odds with the franchise and the friction is finally starting to boil over after several years.
“Even if the Warriors eventually approach Thompson with a competitive offer, matching or exceeding the money and years, it has become increasingly conceivable, according to league sources, that Thompson will decide to leave regardless, searching for a fresh start in a different environment, detached from some of the built-up friction of the previous couple seasons.”
So, even if the Warriors do match his financial number, there’s still a chance he could leave them anyway to pursue a fresh start somewhere else. This is an unfortunate turn of events for a player and a team with so much history together but it just shows how ruthless the NBA business can be sometimes.
After being a part of a dynasty for years, Klay may have to go out on his own, away from Steph for the first time in his career. Clearly, the Warriors struck a nerve with their star and they could pay the ultimate price for it in a few weeks.
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