The Golden State Warriors haven’t made a contract extension offer to star veteran Klay Thompson, according to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater.
Thompson is entering the final year his deal in the 2023-24 campaign.
“There’s more built-in complexity to the Thompson contract talks,” Slater wrote. “Here’s where it currently stands: No official offers or counteroffers have been made from either side, according to league sources. No exact salary numbers have been floated. There isn’t a rush from either side, and there isn’t a deadline. It could theoretically be done in-season, though I’d expect serious discussions (and perhaps an agreement) to come before that.”
It’s hard to imagine the Warriors letting Thompson walk in the offseason considering what he’s meant to the franchise (helping Golden State win four titles), but the Warriors may be cautious with how they approach an extension with the five-time All-Star.
Thompson has rebounded nicely from two awful injuries that cost him the entire 2019-20 season and 2020-21 campaign.
The Warriors star suffered a torn ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors, knocking him out for the entire next season. The Warriors still gave Thompson a five-year deal in the offseason following the 2019 NBA Finals, expecting him to make a full recovery.
While preparing for the 2020-21 season, Thompson injured his Achilles, knocking him out for the entire season and part of the 2021-22 campaign.
It’s amazing that the former first-round pick was able to return and play at a high level, and he did just that, helping Golden State win the NBA Finals in the 2021-22 season against the Boston Celtics.
However, Thompson has seen his shooting percentage drop over the past two seasons. He shot just 42.9 percent from the field in the 2021-22 season and 43.6 percent from the field in the 2022-23 season, although he remains elite from beyond the arc, as he’s made 40.4 percent of his triples over the same span.
But since he’s only getting older, Thompson may not be viewed as a max player by Golden State at this stage in his career.
The Warriors certainly would love to keep their core of Stephen Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green (who re-signed with the team this offseason) together, but it appears there isn’t a rush to get a deal done with Thompson.
The 33-year-old sharpshooter could boost his value with a strong showing in the 2023-24 season, but Golden State appears to be taking a long-term approach with contract negotiations.
