The Warriors have yet to sign soon-to-be free agent wing Klay Thompson, but that doesn't mean the team hasn't been trying recently.
Just Wednesday, ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported on “The Hoop Collective” podcast with co-hosts Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps that Golden State offered Thompson a contract ahead of his eligibility as an unrestricted free agent on June 30th.
“I'm told it's a two-year deal,” McMahon said (via Sports Illustrated's Tom Dierberger). “In these cases, it's not just the amount that matters, it's the length of the deal that matters.”
The co-hosts did not provide any financial details about what Golden State offered Thompson.
But Windhorst noted the five-time NBA All-Star would likely not be willing to accept a pay cut on par with his older teammates.
“When Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green both took pay cuts recently — if you combine the pay cuts for Wiggins and Green, [I don’t] The average pay cut Clay would likely expect would fall to $200,000, Windhorst added.
“But Wiggins and Draymond took pay cuts but signed four-year contracts. And for Klay, that's an interesting factor… It's not so much about money, it's about respect…”
Nobody wants to take a financial hit, but the four-year deals Wiggins and Green signed signal a long-term commitment on Golden State's part, something Thompson obviously wants.
Unfortunately, the NBA free agent market is neither friendly nor nostalgic for mediocre prospects.
Thompson has suffered two season-ending leg injuries and will turn 35 during the 2024-25 NBA season. He also just finished the worst season of his 13-year NBA career, averaging 17.9 points while shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three-point range.
Clearly, Thompson is desperate for one last star-level long-term contract from the only franchise he's ever known, but the NBA is a business.
Golden State offered Thompson a two-year contract before the 2023-24 regular season, but for undisclosed reasons, it fell through.
Only time will tell what uniform one of the best two-way shooters in league history will wear come fall.
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