One thing the Warriors haven’t yet managed to sort out is an extension for Klay Thompson, who will become a free agent in 2024.
The Dubs re-signed Draymond Green to a four-year $100 million deal over the summer, so one would think they would like to keep their veteran core of Steph Curry, Klay and Green together for years to come.
The four-time NBA champion and even his father, Mychal Thompson, have said in the past that Klay would like to be a Warrior for life.
Majority Warriors owner Joe Lacob is confident that the 33-year-old will remain in The Bay for the foreseeable future.
“We’ve had some very brief discussions at this point with his agent,” Lacob told The Athletic. But they’re very, very early. … I fully expect that we’ll have some substantial discussions soon sometime and we’ll see if we can’t put something together that allows Klay to be here for a long time, which we clearly would like him to be.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said in April that Thompson, “has an expectation that he would be rewarded with a new max-level contract extension this offseason.”
Despite Green securing a four-year deal, he had to take a pay cut to his scheduled 2023-24, similar to Andrew Wiggins last season.
Klay is set to earn $42.3 million this coming season, so it wouldn’t be crazy to assume that he too would be staring down the barrel of a pay cut to stay with his beloved Golden State.
“Look, it’s August and there’s plenty of time to work all this out,” Lacob said. “His contract doesn’t expire until next year. We love him and I know he knows we love him. And we’re going to try to do something here for the rest of his career.”
An extension may not come until Klay is a free agent next summer, but Klay’s father hopes that he, Steph, Draymond and Kevon Looney will play out their careers at Golden State.
“It makes sense,” Mychal Thompson told Mark Medina. “For him, Draymond and Steph should never wear another uniform. Or should never have to wear another uniform. That also goes for Kevon Looney, too. That boy is a Warrior through and through. He needs to retire as a Warrior after another 10 or 12 more years, too.”
It is a miracle Thompson is even playing in the NBA after two major injuries and consequential surgeries in 2019 and 2020.
His form seemed to be much improved last season after averaging 21.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists 41.2 percent shooting from three during regular season.
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