Klay Thompson wants to retire as a Golden State Warrior. The franchise wants to keep him together with the core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins.
It doesn’t mean it will happen — Thompson is in the final year of his deal and the two sides are making “no progress” in contract extension talks, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Reporting for NBA Countdown on the Klay Thompson extension talks, including ESPN analyst Bob Myers' window into the negotiating stakes for the Golden State Warriors and the franchise's storied guard pic.twitter.com/YpZaIppooU
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 16, 2023
“I’m told that there has been absolutely no progress on a Klay Thompson extension in Golden State, that they are still apart on years and money. There’s a very real possibility Klay Thompson goes into free agency next summer without a deal.”
The two sides have all season to figure this out, but as new ESPN analyst and former Warriors GM Bob Myers said, this is not a standard, cold negotiation because of the relationship between Thompson, the Warriors, and their fans.
“It’s not so simple as it’s money and years. This is why it was hard for me. You get relationships with these people. Especially if you’ve succeeded with them and that core has been together for 12 years. And that’s just so rare now. It just doesn’t happen... This is a delicate negotiation. From what I know and see, he wants to stay and they want him to stay. Doesn’t mean it will happen.”
Thompson is making $43.2 million this season; his new number will be lower than that, but how much lower and for how many years? Thompson averaged 21.9 points per game last season and more 3-pointers than anyone in the league (301) while shooting 41.2% from beyond the arc. That doesn’t mean he’s the same player he was before suffering two devastating injuries (torn ACL, then Achilles), he is not the same level of defender or shot creator. He was not the All-NBA level player he used to be.
Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins both took less money than they had been making with their new extensions to stay in Golden State (Green averaging $25 million a year, Wiggins $27.5 million). With the franchise looking to get under the second apron of the luxury tax next season, the same will be expected of Thomspon. He will want four years, but with Thompson turning 34 this season the Warriors likely are hesitant to fully lock him in for that long (maybe a team option in the fourth year). Would Thompson accept something like four years, $140 million ($35 million a year average) with a team option on the end? Would the Warriors offer that much or would they like to retain him at more like $30 million a year?
His play may ultimately set that number. If the Warriors are going to be contenders this season the team needs a step forward from Thompson compared to where he was last season, his first coming off his injuries. If he can live up to that, maybe he gets the money and years he seeks. Perhaps not — that second apron of the tax is scaring teams and the Warriors will need to reign in their spending.
The other question Thompson has to ask himself (and be honest with the answer) is: If he becomes a free agent, how strong is the market for his services? Teams will be interested, but is he getting more years and money elsewhere?
Just know that while there is no traction toward a Thompson extension with Golden State right now, it’s a long season and a long road before Thompson hits free agency. There is a lot of time to get a deal done.
