Getty Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors is fouled by Malik Monk #0 of the Sacramento Kings.
As Klay Thompson‘s season continues to unravel, NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic disclosed the Golden State Warriors offer to him before their extension talks stalled.
“I’m told that the Warriors offered a deal — two years in the range of $48 million in extension — to Klay Thompson before the season and now there’s no deal,” Charania said on the December 13 episode of “Run It Back” on FanDuel TV. “We’re into the season. He’s gonna play it out. They’re gonna play it out and we saw [Tuesday] night Jonathan Kuminga played a lot. Brandin Podziemski played a lot.”
“Could this be, as much as we all want to see the Warriors and their [veterans] get a chance to ride this out to the sunset, we’re seeing two young players start to play more. And I think it’s interesting.”
“[Klay Thompson’s] future has been in question…I’m told that the Warriors offered a deal, 2 years in the range of 48 million dollars in an extension to Klay Thompson before the season, and now there’s no deal.”
@ShamsCharania on the current state of the Golden State Warriors.…
For the first time in his career, Thompson was a healthy scratch down the stretch as Warriors coach Steve Kerr leaned on Podziemski and Kuminga to close out the game with Stephen Curry, Chris Paul and Dario Saric.
After a Thompson turnover with 6:36 left, Kerr pulled the plug on his 33-year-old veteran wing. Podziemski, one of their two rookies, subbed him out with 6:19 remaining. Thompson would never return to the game.
Thompson finished the game with only seven points on 2 of 10 shooting. But to Thompson’s credit, he was the only starter who had a positive net rating. The Warriors outscored the Suns by four during his 27 minutes of playing time.
Steve Kerr Explains the Decision
It was not only Thompson, who rode the bench down the stretch. Kevon Looney and Andrew Wiggins sat out the entire fourth quarter.
Kerr pointed to the starting unit’s struggles in the second quarter, where they blew away a 13-point lead built by their second unit as the culprit.
“I had to play the guys who were playing the best and I’ve been really patient,” an exasperated Kerr explained to reporters, “and trying to get everybody kind of organized into groups and give guys freedom and space but tonight did not feel like a night to have a lot of patience. We needed some urgency and that’s why I made the moves.”
Klay Thompson’s Response to Benching
Thompson said it was ‘strange’ to be benched to close the game but said he ‘deserved’ to be benched: ‘I’ve been playing like crap,’” Anthony Slater of The Athletic reported via X. “He said he wasn’t given an explanation but, ‘I trust Steve. I trust Steve now and forever will.’”
“Of course, it frustrates me. You think I’m going to just chill? I’m friggin’ competitive,” Thompson continued. “At the end of the day, I’m one of the most competitive people to put this uniform on. I can say that with confidence, too. But whatever, I guess I didn’t bring it today. I deserved it.”
Thompson is on the final year of the $190 million, five-year max extension he signed in July 2019, just weeks after he tore his ACL during the NBA Finals. He missed the next two seasons with his ACL injury and later an Achilles tear he suffered during his rehab.