Klay Thompson is one of the biggest names now extension eligible, with the five-time All-Star set to enter the final season of a five-year, $189.9 million he signed with the Golden State Warriors in 2019.
The 33-year-old is eligible for a four-year, $224 million extension with the Warriors, but it’s almost assured that the franchise will be unwilling to offer him that sort of deal, particularly after a postseason where Thompson had his shooting struggles.
Klay Thompson will have to take a significant pay cut to remain with the Golden State Warriors beyond next season.
Discussing the highest profile players available for contract extensions, the Hoop Collective’s Brian Windhorst, Tim Bontemps and Tim McMahon were in agreeance that Thompson’s contract path was likely to follow that of long-time teammate Draymond Green.
"“Maybe he gets a little more than Draymond because he’s always made more and shooting is at such a premium”, Bontemps said. “But it’s still going to be like, you’re going to take a fairly significant cut, or if you want to get a max somewhere, it’s not going to be here.”"
Green and the Warriors were unable to agree on an extension last offseason, leading the veteran forward into opting out of his player option to become an unrestricted free agent. Green’s intention was always to re-sign with the franchise though, with player and franchise coming together on a new four-year, $100 million deal in the first deal of free agency.
Although Thompson may follow the same path of becoming an unrestricted free agent, it doesn’t mean Golden State fans should fret about his future with the franchise. McMahon stated, “I think he ends up spending his entire career in a Warriors uniform”, with Thompson having originally been drafted with the 11th overall pick in 2011.
Barring an incredible return to his All-NBA best following two major injuries, Thompson will have to take a significant paycut to remain with the team. That would likely align with similar deals recently given to Green and Andrew Wiggins, allowing the Warriors to potentially get themselves below the NBA’s new second tax apron next offseason.
Thompson averaged 21.9 points on 41.2% shooting from three-point range in 2022-23, though he’ll be looking to respond from a rough end to the postseason where he averaged just 10.5 points on 25% shooting in the last four games against the Lakers.