The Golden State Warriors would’ve never been this successful without Klay Thompson.
Often overlooked, Thompson is also one of the greatest shooters of all time, and his perimeter defense also played a huge role in Steve Kerr‘s team’s dominance.
Moreover, the Warriors didn’t even make the playoffs in the two years he was out with an injury, only to win the ring as soon as he came back.
So, even though he’s not the same player he used to be, Thompson’s importance in the Dynasty cannot be ignored.
That’s why some fans sounded the alarm when Klay seemingly hinted at the possibility of leaving the team:
“I’m definitely more relaxed than I was at the beginning,” Thompson said postgame. “I think at the beginning, I just wanted to be back to those big nights like tonight and proving whoever wrong and that I’m still great, and now I’m just like, it’s going by so fast; we’re almost at the halfway point, and after this year, there’s only one year left on my deal, so I just told myself, like, man, I got to enjoy every day in a Warriors uniform. Like, this is such an incredible position to be in as defending champions and to see the banners we’ve hung and just the brand that’s been built here.”
The Warriors are in a tough spot salary-cap-wise.
So, as much as they love Klay, they might not be able or willing to meet his financial demands for a new contract.
Of course, he’s always stated that he’d love to finish his career with the Warriors, but he’s most definitely going to have plenty of offers sitting at his table if he becomes a free agent.
At the end of the day, this is a business, and both parties will handle things as such once the time comes.
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