When you think of the Golden State Warriors, the first two names that come to mind are Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. Following the two MVPs, the next name may be Klay Thompson, but it could be Draymond Green or newly acquired DeMarcus Cousins for others.
The point is Klay has sacrificed a lot.
With the Lakers missing out on Anthony Davis today, imagine if Klay decided to join LeBron James in Los Angeles this summer.
The three-time champion is definitely respected around the league, but if he were in a different situation, his numbers would look even more impressive. So, with Thompson set to hit the free agent market this summer, the perennial all-star expects his current team to give him every penny.
He cemented a key role in the Warriors’ three title runs in the past four years. He does not complain about his role that Stephen Curry and Durant often overshadow. And even if Durant leaves this summer, any paycut Thompson accepts would most likely lessen the Warriors’ luxury tax bill than help them sign another player.
Back in the fall, Klay’s father, Mychal Thompson, had this to say:
“The money thing is basically set in stone. Everybody knows what the salary cap is, everybody knows what a player of Klay’s caliber and tenure in the league is supposed to get on his next deal.
“So basically, there’s no need to negotiate — everybody’s number is set because of the salary cap rules.”
The numbers these two parties are looking at is roughly $190 million over five years. However, the main priority for Golden State will be locking up Kevin Durant and not to mention Boogie is a free agent as well.
Considering all those factors, Klay could slip through the cracks and fall right into Magic Johnson’s hands. They’ll just have to offer him as much or even more money than Golden State and they’ll have to ensure Klay that he’s coming into a situation where he can still compete for championships.
