While his mindset will be fully focused on helping the Golden State Warriors to another playoff run, veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson will have a decision to make on his future come the offseason.
Despite still being eligible for a contract extension, Thompson appears headed for free agency as he comes to the end of a five-year, $189.9 million deal he signed in 2019. So, after 13 decorated seasons at the franchise, could the Warrior legend depart later in the year?
NBA executives still believe Klay Thompson will sign a new contract to return to the Golden State Warriors for next season and beyond
The fact Thompson has reached March without a new contract suggests he'll be able to explore alternative avenues in free agency. Such destinations have already been proposed, with the Orlando Magic strongly linked to the five-time All-Star last month.
However, the majority of the league still maintain that Thompson will ultimately re-sign with Golden State. That was reiterated in a recent report from Hoops Hype's Michael Scotto, with seven of eight anonymous NBA executives believing the 34-year-old will remain with the Warriors.
" “The Warriors can’t let him walk. He’s a four-time champion, and they can’t really replace him. At some point, if a player isn’t getting the job done and still wants to play as he gets older, you’d come off the bench, and he’s doing that while playing better. Maybe they tie his deal to Steph’s. Klay’s value is in the $20-25 million range. "Anonymous NBA executive
So what does a new contract look like for Thompson? According to the report, three executives believe he'll get between $18-20 million per year, while the other five think he'll get between $20-25 million.
Thompson reportedly turned down a two-year, $48 million extension before the season, yet since then hasn't quite reached the expectations he would have set for himself. That's included a move to the bench in recent weeks, and although it's yielded positive results for both player and team, it will no doubt factor into contract negotiations.
Four of the executives believe Thompson will sign a two-year deal, tying him alongside the contracts of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr who re-signed on a two-year, $35 million extension last month.
The four-time NBA champion has averaged 17 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists this season, having shot 37.9% from three-point range. His numbers have actually risen since the move to the bench, including a team-high 25 points last time out against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.