What happens with Klay Thompson’s contract this season will indicate the direction the Golden State Warriors are headed in. Thompson is on an expiring $43.2 million contract this season and Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated thinks he could be on the receiving end of a contract extension that nets him $35 million per season.
“Thompson, in the final year of a five-year, $190 million deal, probably lands somewhere in the middle. A four-year deal in the $30–35 million per season range sounds reasonable, at least to the NBA executives I talk to. There is no sign of acrimony between Thompson and the Warriors. Bet on the two sides getting something done.”
Thompson averaged 21.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists last season in a wonderful regular season where Klay showed he has fully recovered from his torn ACL and Achilles.
Unfortunately, he averaged 16.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in their second-round loss to the Lakers in the playoffs which showed why giving him a lot of money could be harmful over the long term.
The four-time champion is the only member of the Warriors’ core who isn’t locked up, with Draymond Green signing a four-year, $100 million contract this summer and Stephen Curry being under contract until 2025/26.
Klay Thompson Wants To Be A Lifelong Warrior
Klay Thompson recently opened up on the possibility of not being on the Warriors next season and completely dismissed the notion that we will leave the franchise. He wants to retire as a one-team man who can be a franchise legend like Udonis Haslem is in Miami.
“Yes. Absolutely. I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else. To play for one franchise, man? That’s so rare. In any sport. Football. Baseball. Basketball. Australian Rules Football. To play for one club is insane. It’s some real legendary stuff. Even what Udonis Haslem did. He’s revered in Miami. Locally. That’s what I cherish… I’ve just been so lucky to be a part of this franchise. It’d be so hard to envision myself in another uniform.”
Committing $35 million annually to Thompson when you’re still trying to push for title wins is a little tricky. The team will have a lot of money owed to the big four of Curry, Thompson, Green, and Wiggins and need to fill in the pieces around them. This also may affect the status of Jonathan Kuminga getting a long-term extension.
Should The Warriors Give Klay Thompson A $35 Million-A-Year Contract?
Klay Thompson will deserve every last dollar the Warriors give him because of how he’s played for the franchise his entire career, even returning from two consecutive career-ending injuries to help win a title in 2022. But from a business and on-court perspective, it is incredibly risky to hand a 33-year-old with concerning injuries a long-term and lucrative extension.
The Warriors could give Thompson $35 million over two seasons if that interests the star, but it seems he will be looking for a long-term commitment. In that case, maybe the Warriors can align him to the $25 million per year that Draymond will earn. It may be the more harmonious fit for the entire roster, as it doesn’t guarantee Golden State will be a luxury cap team forever.
Thompson needs to retire with a Warriors jersey around his chest; that goes without saying. But if either side tries to nickel and dime the other, we may be in for an unnecessary and shocking free-agent drama next season.
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