Thompson’s time in Bay could be coming to end
Cornerstone star to enter unrestricted free agency after season
Klay Thompson’s turbulent, emotional, ultimately gratifying season reached a milepost Tuesday night in Sacramento, where he and the Golden State Warriors hoped to launch another deep postseason run.
The alternative isn’t especially appealing. If the Warriors lost their play-in game against the Kings, it could mark Thompson’s final appearance in a Golden State uniform.
That possibility lingers in the background, impossible to ignore with his unrestricted free agency looming this summer. But first, before Thompson could help fuel the Warriors’ strong second half to secure their play-in berth, he had to address a fundamental issue: rediscovering the joy of playing basketball.
Thompson struggled to block out his impending contract decision, he said last week on teammate Draymond Green’s podcast, and that hampered him earlier this season. He had four “heart-toheart talks” with head coach Steve Kerr, during which Kerr often posed a basic but important question: Are you having fun?
More than once, Kerr received a surprising reply.
“The answer frequently was no,” Kerr told the Chronicle. “So my next question was, ‘Then why do you care about a contract extension? Why don’t you just retire? If you’re not having fun, there’s no reason to play.’
“I think the whole point for me with Klay early in the year was just trying to help him find peace with himself in his career and what he was facing. None of that is easy, but it
was important for him to take some time. He did that over the All-Star break, because he was a different human being once he came back.
“He deserves the credit. As a coach, you’re just trying to help your guys, nudge them along. So that was my goal, but he’s the one who came back and has been amazing ever since.”
Kerr obviously wasn’t advocating for Thompson to retire, nor did Kerr receive any indication that was ever a possibility. But Kerr sent a larger message by using the “R” word, to remind Thompson how much he has savored “hooping,” as he likes to put it.
On Sunday, after he scored 25 points in Golden State’s final regularseason game, Thompson acknowledged the impact of those conversations with Kerr.
“That helped a lot, man,” Thompson said as he walked away from the Chase Center locker room. “Oh, yeah, it helped a ton. Steve has seen it all. … You gotta enjoy it. Thirteen years in and still balling? You gotta enjoy it. You can’t do this forever.”
And then he kept walking, disappearing down the hallway.
Thompson’s imminent free agency will be fascinating on several levels.
He no doubt boosted his price, and made himself more attractive to other teams, with the way he played after the All-Star break — bumping his scoring (from 17.3 points per game to 18.9), fieldgoal percentage (42.1 to 45.4) and 3-point percentage (37.3 to 41.2).
He also embraced coming off the bench, contributing as a reserve in 14 games while rookie Brandin Podziemski joined the starters. That stretch should attract suitors who envision Thompson as a sixth man.
Thompson also is 34, with a torn ACL and torn Achilles in the past five years. He understandably has lost lateral quickness, which hurts him on defense. Thompson once routinely and effectively covered opposing point guards (including Kyrie Irving in the NBA Finals), but that’s no longer feasible.
“It’s almost like grappling with your own mortality as an athlete,” he said on Green’s podcast. “I might not be able to elevate like I once did, or slide my feet like I once did. But I can still be a heck of a player if I just have gratitude and keep that perspective.
“That was hard for me these last few years. You’re so used to playing at a certain level, guarding a certain guy, shooting certain shots. Then you have to adjust, and that was the hardest part of my career. It’s still hard, when I’m used to scoring 25 in a quarter and locking up the best player.
“Now I’ve got to pick my spots a lot more. I’ve finally come to accept, ‘Look, I can still be a heck of a player and be incredibly efficient, as long as I’m having fun and being a good teammate.’ ”
Thompson’s future with the Warriors probably hinges on whether he’s willing to accept less money from them than another team. Golden State owner Joe Lacob wants to control his historically high payroll, a challenging quest with fast-rising Jonathan Kuminga eligible for a contract extension this offseason. Kuminga might command more than $130 million over four years, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
The Warriors could clear financial space if they pass on Chris Paul’s $30 million (non-guaranteed) salary for next season, though Paul has played well. In that scenario, Podziemski figures to step into a larger role, much as he and/or Moses Moody would fill Thompson’s minutes if he departs.
There’s also an emotional layer to the equation, given Thompson’s integral role in winning four NBA championships. It’s easy to envision Golden State offering him a two-year deal, to align him with the contracts of Curry and Kerr (Green has a player option for 2026-27).
So maybe the Warriors offer slightly less than Green’s average annual salary of $25 million? That would count as a sizable cut from the $43.2 million Thompson earned this season, in the final year of his max contract.
These are all matters to consume the offseason, things the Warriors hope not to consider for at least a few weeks. But even the timeline offers intrigue: If the Warriors make a stirring run, advancing to the Western Conference semifinals or finals, they could feel more compelled to keep Thompson.
And by the same logic, what if the Warriors quickly tumble out of the postseason with a loss Tuesday or Friday? That would make this season a massive disappointment, and could make it easier for them to let Thompson leave and reshape their roster.
“I think he realized he was putting too much pressure on himself, which he’s always done,” Kerr said of Thompson’s newfound peace. “Even before the injuries, he got off to some slow starts. He’s so hard on himself. So I think he just had to allow himself to rediscover the joy of the game.
“It’s always tough, because the NBA is full of bulls—. The contract stuff, social media, it’s hard for all of us as human beings to keep priorities in perspective.”
Thompson found fun again, as the business of basketball looms on the horizon.