Getty Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors.
Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson’s future is uncertain ahead of free agency.
Thompson has expressed his desire to remain with the Warriors. He also appreciated similar sentiments expressed by Draymond Green, Stephen Curry, and Head Coach Steven Kerr. However, Thompson’s eye is also wandering and there may be a ready-made match for him.
“For the first time in Thompson’s career, he has shown an appetite to explore external options,” The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater wrote on June 17. “There remains mutual interest between Thompson and the Orlando Magic, according to league sources. The Warriors have made clear they want to bring Thompson back at the right price and in the right role.”
What that role is is unclear. Thompson came off the bench last season, marking his first stint as a reserve since his rookie campaign.
He also finished the regular season starting all 10 of his appearances in the final 12 games.
“Is [Klay Thompson’s] play correlating to the money he wants? I don’t think it is anymore.”
—@RealJayWilliams reacts to Klay Thompson unfollowing the Warriors on social media 👀
Orlando finished as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, snapping a three-year playoff drought. They also have 2022 No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero as the centerpiece of a rebuild. Franz Wagner has been a promising supporting player too.
Charania reiterated a report from December about the Warriors offering Thompson a contract “in the range of $48 million” over two years before the season.
He is expected to land something substantially larger than that.
Klay Thompson Predicted to Land $70M Contract
“In a perfect world, Golden State would reward Thompson with the same four-year, $134 million contract Jrue Holiday signed with the Boston Celtics,” ESPN’s Bobby Marks wrote on June 16. “But the Warriors no longer live in a perfect world, and owner Joe Lacob has gone on the record to remind that the days of the franchise’s high spending are over.”
Marks instead predicts that the four-time champion will land a two-year, $70 million contract.
But that does not mean it will be without some outside threat. Marks also believes the Magic could loom as a threat to sign him.
“I definitely think [Klay Thompson] is up to something… You don’t just unfollow the Warriors and follow [Paolo Banchero], the best player on the team…” – @ChandlerParsons
“A Thompson contract that starts at $33 million … keeps Golden State below the first and second apron,” Marks wrote. “Would Thompson see a two-year contract as an insult especially after Draymond Green signed for four years and $120 million last offseason?
“Could he get a third year from a team such as Orlando or Oklahoma City?”
Both teams finished higher than the Warriors in the standings this past season, though they won just one more contest.
Klay Thompson Gives Advice to Internet Troll
Thompson’s future aside, he had time for a fan who decided to troll him over his poor showing versus the Sacramento Kings in the Play-In Tournament. The loss ended the Warriors’ season. Thompson was 0-for-10 in the contest.
The fan said the four-time NBA champion “knew” it would be mentioned before posting a picture of himself with his bike in the woods captioned “a few of my favorite things” on Instagram.
Thompson did not mention the fan’s troll, offering life advice instead.
“hey young fella , I’m rooting for you . Eat your greens and get proper sleep nightly and you will make the NBA one day thru hard work and perseverance,” Thompson replied, capping the message with a saluting emoji.
A fan tried to troll Klay with the “0/10” comment trend but he took the high road 💯
(via @KlayThompson /IG)
Thompson notably snapped at media members following the game, questioning how they could ask about his future rather than the lengthy and tumultuous season.
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Warriors’ Klay Thompson, Upstart Rival Have ‘Mutual Interest’: Insider