Klay Thompson’s season hasn’t been smooth. He’s clearly not the All-Star he once was, averaging 17.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists on just 43.0% shooting. Though he remains a valuable player, it’s evident that Thompson isn’t putting up the numbers he usually does.
At this stage, Thompson and the Golden State Warriors are gearing up for the play-in tournament, trying to earn themselves a spot in the NBA playoffs. While the focus is on that one, on the sideline, whispers grow louder about this potentially being Thompson’s final season with the team.
Further fueling these speculations, The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami suggests that the Orlando Magic might pursue Thompson in the offseason to bolster their perimeter shooting. Worth noting, Thompson’s current contract with the Warriors expires after this season.
Per The Athletic:
One of the worst-kept secrets in the league is that Orlando, loaded with young talent but not with shooters, might offer Klay a ton of money next summer. Meanwhile, Joe Lacob has said the Warriors want to get all the way out of the luxury tax next summer, which is possible, but only if they are very disciplined about how much they’re willing to pay to keep Klay (and/or CP3).
Put bluntly, Klay is the only one of the big three who might end up more valuable to another team than what the Warriors want to pay him. The more durable he continues to be, the larger the contract he deserves. The Warriors should absolutely try to bring him back, and not just as a sentimental gesture.
