The Warriors and Klay Thompson have engaged in discussions about a potential contract extension for the veteran sharpshooter, according to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
Thompson, who signed his current contract in October of 2014, will be eligible to sign a new deal starting in July. If he and the Warriors reach an agreement on an extension, that new contract would go into effect in 2019/20, after his current pact ends. An extension could keep him under team control for up to four additional seasons.
A four-time All-Star, Thompson is coming off a regular season in which he established new career highs in FG% (.488) and 3PT% (.440) to go along with his usual 20+ PPG. He also chipped in 3.8 RPG and 2.5 APG while playing solid defense.
Although the Warriors should be motivated to lock up Thompson before he reaches unrestricted free agency in 2019, it may be in the 28-year-old’s best interest to wait on a new deal. The starting salary on a veteran extension can only be worth up to 120% of his previous salary, meaning Thompson’s extension could start at approximately $22.79MM and be worth up to about $102MM over four years. That’s well below what his maximum salary would be as a free agent.
Still, Thompson has said he cares more about winning and about his happiness than he does about maxing out his earnings, as Marcus Thompson writes. It’s also worth noting that the Warriors – who will have to give Kevin Durant a raise this summer and would need to negotiate a new contract with Draymond Green by 2020 at the latest – almost certainly won’t be able to give all four of their stars max deals, given the luxury-tax ramifications.
As such, Thompson may be willing to accept a modest discount to keep the band together. Two sources tell The Athletic that Thompson and the Dubs have talked about an extension with an average annual salary of about $23MM — that would come in at approximately $92MM over four years, which puts it below the maximum value of a Thompson extension and well below the max value of a potential free agent contract.
Marcus Thompson cautions that there’s no guarantee that Klay will ink a new extension with the Warriors this offseason. The two sides would have to find a deal that works for both of them, and Durant’s new contract could be a factor in determining how much Golden State is willing to offer. Still, the fact that this discussion is already happening bodes well for Thompson’s potential long-term future in the Bay Area.
Best bet for you Klay, you are awful if the ball is ever put in your hands to carry a franchise. I don’t think any GM is dumb enough to give you that sort of role anyways. The Warriors are an absolutely joke, ever since they signed that insecure twig Durant who is the weakest star the league has ever seen.
Lol damn bro you hate the Warriors even more than I do.
Jealousy is a disease. Unfortunately for you, it’s can’t be sorted out here. Might want to make an appointment with your primary physician and ask for a referral for proper treatment. I hope you get what you clearly need.
Any Warriors talk, here comes Dionis to talk trash. OKC fan, right?
Die hard NBA fan who is disappointed with the product because I’ll puke myself if I have to see the Warriors hoist up another Larry O’ Brien trophy.
You better have one of those little paper bags with you in the next few weeks…..
Sadly
You don’t like the way they play? They move the ball play tough defense….
I love the way they play but without Durant. Durant ruined everything in the NBA.
If Kevin Durant retired today, he would be in the Hall of Fame. He deserves more respect than what you’re giving him. Feels like your comments (Dionis) are posted by Stephen A.
I feel that. I can’t remember a less interesting 5-year period in the NBA than the past 5 years.
We get 2 in the past like 30 something years and it hurts you more than watching Lebron constantly walk through a joke of an eastern conference for how many years? You’re weird and sad.
Disappointed because Bob Myers is not your GM? Warriors didn’t reinvent the wheel. Every basketball team was and is still capable of putting together a team of the Warriors caliber. Stop crying. It’s pretty embarrassing for you.
Hmm let’s see, the vast majority of championships have been won by 2 teams, the Celtics and the Lakers. So now a group plays actual team ball and wins a couple times and that engages you? You’ve obviously not been a fan very long. Durant is a player who was born for the warriors system. This nitwit idea that good teams can only sign bad or unproven players to “make it fair” for the incompetent is asinine. The best part of sports is trying to unseat the champions. How is it an accomplishment if a different team wins every year? Get over your blind rage. The warriors play the best team ball in decades and it drives egotistical self centered children batshit insane.
Amen
92 Million is A discount well damn Good good for Klay Man|Take The Discount To Keep The Squad Together And Keep Winning Good Formula Man But I think The Dynasty is Over I Think Houston Wins in 5 This Yr
If he makes it to FA, you know the Sixers will offer max if they strike out on LBJ or PG13. They may do the same round of 1 year deals. Except I doubt they need to overpay after winning 52 games.
There is no need for Klay to do anything right now. He should not. The decision to be underpaid for so long better be a right one.
Either Klay inks a deal with the dubs at a friendly discount… Or I see him going to his Dad’s team in LA to play with a potent young team that may add LeBron, Kawai, or PG13.
Everyone has been saying the LA thing for how many years now? Think he really wants to be teammates with Lonzo over the Warriors? Lol. That’s just funny.