Klay's Uncertain Future: Warriors Star Faces Tough Free Agency Decision
After over a decade celebrating championships and raining three-pointers as part of the Golden State Warriors dynasty, Klay Thompson now faces an uncertain offseason. The veteran shooting guard is set to enter free agency following one of the worst playoff performances of his career.
In what could have been his final game in a Warriors uniform, Thompson missed all 10 of his shot attempts in a lopsided 118-94 loss to the Sacramento Kings in the Play-In Tournament. It marked the first time the sharpshooter had been held scoreless since his rookie season way back in 2011-12.
Thompson’s scoreless dud was ill-timed given his impending free agent status. The 33-year-old is fresh off a 5-year, $189 million contract and will now have to decide if he’s willing to take a significant pay cut to remain with the only franchise he’s ever known.
For their part, the Warriors seem intent on retaining one-half of the “Splash Brothers” backcourt despite his recent decline. Head coach Steve Kerr firmly stated the team’s desire to bring Thompson back after the disappointing playoff exit.
“We need Klay back. He’s still got good years left,” Kerr said. “I know I speak for everybody in the organization: We desperately want him back.”
However, the financial realities of the NBA’s salary cap system could complicate things. Coming off two devastating injuries that derailed the prime years of his career, Thompson may have a difficult choice to make regarding finances versus loyalty.
Should he prioritize squeezing out one final lucrative long-term deal even if it means leaving his beloved Warriors? Or is he willing to accept a smaller yearly salary to chase more rings alongside Stephen Curry and the Bay Area’s championship-caliber core?
The path forward is murky, leaving one of the most prolific shooters in NBA history at a crossroads just years after he was virtually unguardable at his peak.
Thompson’s playoff woes have only cast more uncertainty on his value in free agency this summer. His scoreless dud against Sacramento represented the most misses without a make in a playoff game for any Warrior in at least the last 50 years.
It was a far cry from his scorching 37-point quarter against those same Kings in 2015 or the record 14 three-pointers he poured in during that epic 2016 Western Conference Finals comeback over Oklahoma City.
Age and injury appear to have taken their toll on the 6'6" sniper, who hasn’t consistently performed at an All-Star level since suffering torn ACL and Achilles injuries during the 2019 Finals run.
After willingly taking a lesser offensive role and accepting benchings late in games throughout this past season, Thompson has shown he’s still capable of being an elite floor-spacer and defensive stopper when engaged.
But his days of being the unquestioned second option and go-to scorer behind Curry appear to be in the rearview mirror for Golden State. The question is whether Thompson will chase every last dollar this summer as his career winds down, or if he’ll sacrifice financially to maximize his championship window alongside the Warriors’ core.
Only time will tell, but one of the most iconic shooters of this generation is headed for a defining stretch that could determine his basketball legacy and lifetime earnings.
It’s a high-stakes dilemma even Splash Brothers tend to struggle with from long distance.