Klay Thompson and the Warriors appear to be in no hurry to reach a deal.
After completing the final year of his five-year stint, Thompson officially ended the 2023-24 NBA season with Golden State's loss in the play-in tournament to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday at Golden 1 Center. , is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. , signed a $190 million contract extension in the summer of 2019.
The Warriors have expressed their desire to have Thompson back, from teammates Stephen Curry and Draymond Green to coach Steve Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy, but the veteran guard's relationship with the team has been high. There was no progress at all in the negotiations.
In fact, ESPN's Zach Lowe reported Wednesday, citing sources, that Thompson's camp and the Warriors haven't had “substantive” discussions about a new contract for “months.”
Lowe also reported that Thompson is expected to attract interest from other teams in free agency, citing league sources.
ESPN's Kendra Andrews reported in November, citing sources, that contract negotiations with the Warriors were weighing heavily on Thompson, which may be why the two sides haven't had any substantive negotiations for so long.
What will Thompson's contract look like? Lowe believes Jrue Holiday's four-year, $135 million contract extension with the Boston Celtics is a framework that both Thompson and the Warriors can build upon.
While it is unlikely that Thompson will play elsewhere next season, the reality is that the two sides cannot agree on a new contract. And with NBA free agency set to begin on July 1st, Thompson and the Warriors have about two and a half months to iron something out.
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