Klay Thompson’s future with the Golden State Warriors is in doubt after it was reported that the sharpshooter plans to test free agency this offseason and is “open to all outside options,” according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
The Warriors want to retain Thompson and offered him an extension ahead of the 2023-24 season, but he will consider other options this summer. This news has sparked speculation about his possible departure, especially after he stopped following the Warriors on social media.
Thompson, 34, has spent his entire NBA career with the Warriors, winning four titles and being selected to the All-Star team five times and two All-NBA teams along the way. Next to Stephen Curryhas formed the best pair of three-point shooters in NBA history.
His trio with Curry and Draymond Greenand the short period with Kevin Durant Also, he led the Warriors to the NBA’s last dynasty. Breaking the combination of Thompson, Curry and Green would be the end of an era.
However, the veteran shooter was not the same player last year. His 17.9 points per game were his lowest mark since the 2012-13 season. After shooting over 40% from 3-point range in his first eight seasons, he has fallen below that mark in two of his last three seasons.
Once one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, Thompson has lost a step in that regard. The Warriors even brought him off the bench in 14 games last season, the first time since his rookie year they asked him to play that role.
Do not discard an output
There is no doubt that Thompson is still a solid player and capable of affecting a game with his three-point shot. But he’s no longer one of the truly elite 3&D players in the NBA, and it will be fascinating to see what the market looks like for him in free agency.
It’s entirely possible that he eventually decides to rejoin Golden State, especially if other teams around the NBA don’t pay a fortune for him in free agency. But it has never seemed more possible that he could change direction.
