(Image via bolavip.com)
Volunteer Writer: Aidan Danforth
Email: adanforth@umassd.edu
The Golden State Warriors are known for their three-headed monsters: Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. Due to injuries, they were able to secure the tenth seed but lost in the play-in tournament to the Sacramento Kings.
Klay Thompson, who had one of the worst seasons of his career last season, has a contract expiring at the start of the NBA offseason. His playoff season was arguably one of his worst playoff performances. It got so bad that he played 32 minutes and didn’t score a single point.
Klay is due a contract that looks to be a 140% increase over the extension he received in 2019. But is it worth it for Golden State to pay a 34-year-old, or will they move on and roll with Curry, Green, and the youth movement?
Scenario One: Extend Him
Scenario one is the more likely of the two, which is to simply extend him.
Thompson has been with the team for 12 years, making him the second longest-tenured Warrior behind Curry.
Curry’s contract is good until the 2026 offseason, while Green signed a four-year, $100 million extension after the 2023 season.
Green’s case is unique as he didn’t get along with teammate Jordan Poole. This gave them the option of either keeping Green and trading Poole or letting Green go and keeping Poole. Golden State kept Green, which shows the team’s commitment to the big three.
When asked about Klay, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr said, “The guy has been here a long time. He means so much to the organization. We really value him, so there’s nothing to make me think that he wants to go somewhere else or we don’t want him back.”
Thompson was in a similar position midway through the season as he wanted to finish his career at Golden State. A lot can change in half a season.
Since after the King’s loss, Klay didn’t seem too enthusiastic when asked about an extension.
The team was coming off a tough play-in loss, so Thompson wasn’t in the best mood when asked about the situation.
If Klay were to sign an extension, Spotrac Research would calculate his four-year salary at around $213 million-$288 million.
Despite the bad play-in game, his leadership and veteran presence make it the most sense for the Warriors to extend him.
Scenario Two: He Leaves
Scenario two would be a nightmare for all Warriors fans. No one wants to say goodbye to any team icon, but that isn’t off the table for Klay Thompson.
The NBA salary cap is not friendly to the Warriors, as they are expected to be either over or a little under the cap. The team also has four players set to be paid $20 million next season, which could be hard to work around.
Or the Warriors can move on from Klay and let the young players rise. The team has two rookies, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Brandin Podziemski, who are candidates for the first and second rookie teams.
In 2021, Golden State drafted Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody who have turned into excellent impact players and are looking to take a leap next season.
If Thompson were let go, he would have a big market with plenty of suitors like the Magic, Heat, and Lakers.
His absence could impact the production of Curry and Green, who worked with Klay to create a dangerous trio that haunts the other 29 teams. The team has repeatedly played apart as Green was suspended for 25 games.
During those games, the team did show weakness and finished 13-14. In games where Klay doesn’t play, they are 112-118, which means his presence on the court is valuable.
Whether Klay stays or leaves, the future is bright in Golden State with the tenure of Curry, Green, and young talent.
Keeping Klay would benefit the team’s short-term goal of winning another championship with the old core while letting him go would welcome a rise for other players and may impact the play of its veterans.
Will the Warriors be able to combat the salary cap and keep one of their biggest stars, or will Klay be running out in a different uniform in 2024?