The Klay-PG13 saga leaves Warriors in a very difficult situation originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors have spent the last 10 weeks releasing a team-wide recruiting pitch in hopes of persuading Klay Thompson to re-sign, allowing them to retain the veteran core that has won four championships in the last 10 years.
All this while internally exploring the possibility of making a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers that would bring Paul George to Golden State.
What led to a likely Warriors-Thompson divorce – and the Warriors facing a dilemma.
The George option is a memory for Golden State. O 34-year-old winger withdrew of the final year of his contract on Saturday and moves into NBA unrestricted free agency. The Warriors don’t have the salary cap space to compete. PG13 could re-sign with LA or move to a team like the Philadelphia 76ers who have cap space to meet his reported goal of a max contract.
Which brings the Warriors back to Thompson, who officially becomes an unrestricted free agent on Sunday and is open for the draft. The problem is that Thompson and his representatives at the Wasserman Group are in no mood to listen to what the Warriors have to say.
The Warriors realize that Thompson is not inclined to return for another run alongside his longtime teammates Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Doesn’t mean it can’t happen. The history of NBA summers has provided many stories of twists and turns and changes of heart.
As of Saturday afternoon, though, all indications are that the open secret that was Golden State’s pursuit of George — with Thompson waiting on deck — affected Klay more deeply than those public performances.
Thompson, 34, now has the advantage on the Warriors. If he wants more money from them, or more years, there’s a better chance than there was a few days ago.
If Thompson simply wants out, as a league source indicated Saturday to NBC Sports Bay Area, it will force Golden State to shift into damage control. The Warriors DO NOT – intentionally in capital letters – want to lose Thompson for anything more than a smaller payroll.
The Warriors, fearing the possibility of Thompson leaving without receiving any impact players in return, are willing to work with his representatives to reach a sign-and-trade deal, according to a report from The Athletic.
Thompson is coming off a five-year, $190 million contract that the Warriors paid knowing he would miss at least a season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament in the 2019 NBA Finals. Just over a year after surgery, he suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon. He missed another full season and half of the following, returning in January 2022.
Thompson in 2018 said he “would like to be a warrior for the rest of my life.”
Upon signing the contract in July 2019, Thompson expressed great gratitude for the Warriors’ decision to reach the max deal, knowing there could be questions about its effectiveness following a serious injury.
During his season-ending press conference In April, however, Thompson’s reaction to getting the contract conveyed an entirely different tone.
“Oh, man,” he began. “Well, 2019, well, could you imagine if they didn’t pay me after I got hurt? That would have been very bad. Like, ‘Oh, you went to five finals in a row, blew out your knee, yeah, sorry.’ That was very kind of them.
“I try every year to do my best. And the ownership group has been great. I have nothing but positive things to say about them. They treat us with great respect and do all the little things so that we can perform our work at the highest level.
“Then, … [the future], it’s up to them. But at the end of the day, whatever happens, it’s all gravy, it was a very special race.”
Golden State’s run is over, even if Thompson overcomes the emotions that came with feeling neglected and decides to return. The Warriors have fallen from 3rd place in the Western Conference in 2022 – and a fourth NBA championship – to 6th place in 2023 and 10th place, missing the playoffs, in 2024.
That’s why the Warriors are combing through every possible option to extract maximum value if they lose Thompson. They enter free agency under a thick cloud and hope he can help them break free.
