There is some trouble in paradise at the moment, with the Golden State Warriors and Klay Thompson being far apart in extension talks, and former GM Bob Myers joked that it’s why he’s no longer with the team.
“Well, this is why I left first of all,” Myers said on NBA Countdown. “A lot of times people will say it’s just business, but this is not a just business situation. There is going to be a statue of this player outside of Chase Center. He was instrumental in bringing four championships, he’s beloved inside the organization (and) with the fanbase.”
Myers, who stepped down from his role this offseason, said the feeling he gets is both sides want to stay together, but there’s no guarantee they will.
“So, it’s not so simple as it’s money and years,” Myers added. “This is why it was hard for me Malika, because you have relationships with these people especially if you succeeded with them and that core has been together for 12 years and that’s just so rare now, it just doesn’t happen. So, this is a delicate negotiation. From what I know and see, he wants to stay. They want him to stay. Does it mean it will happen? But it is a test. It is certainly a test as Woj said and this is probably the first real test.”
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This is obviously not just another extension for Golden State, as Myers points out. Klay has been with the franchise since 2011 and is one of their greatest players ever.
The situation has to be handled delicately, but it is such a difficult one. The front office ideally wouldn’t want to give a 33-year-old who has suffered a torn Achilles and ACL a big deal. It wouldn’t make a lot of sense purely from a basketball standpoint, but Klay isn’t just your ordinary veteran.
He has played such a key role in the four championships the Warriors have won during this dynastic run and might feel he deserves another significant deal. To their credit, the Warriors did give Thompson a five-year, $190 million extension after he tore his ACL in 2019, which was their way of rewarding him for all that he had done for the team.
New GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. isn’t exactly in an enviable position right now. The two sides are apart on years and money for this new deal, and you do think that this situation might not get resolved in the near future.
Klay Thompson Shared A Message On Instagram
It might well be safe to say that Thompson isn’t thrilled by this turn of events. Not long after the story broke about the two sides being far apart, he shared a not-so-cryptic story on Instagram.
He certainly seems to be motivated to prove his doubters wrong. Thompson averaged 21.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game in the 2022-23 season and showed he isn’t quite done just yet.
The five-time All-Star struggled in the playoffs, however, which is why his stock is relatively low at the moment. If he goes on to shine in this upcoming season and then plays well in the playoffs too, then he might get the big deal he wants.
Why Did Bob Myers Step Down?
Myers was promoted to the position of GM in 2012, and the Warriors shone under his leadership. He was one of the best in the business and twice won Executive of the Year. Stepping down wouldn’t have been a very easy decision, and Myers did explain the reason behind his exit.
“I have too many different emotions that I’m still processing. But the bottom line is that this job the one I’m in, requires complete engagement and complete effort. If you can’t do it, then you shouldn’t do it and so that’s the answer. I can’t do that to our players, I can’t do that to Joe. I really can’t do it to myself and that’s a question I’ve been wrestling with… I’ve only known how to do things one way my whole life and it doesn’t feel right to do something when I can’t give it my everything.”
It was very fair on his part to leave if he felt he wasn’t going to be able to give everything to the job. His ESPN gig doesn’t require him to put in nearly as many hours as he did as a GM, and he can spend more time with friends and family.
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