Klay Thompson said he wants to stay with the Warriors regardless of his role.. Golden State’s ownership and management have made it clear they want to bring back Thompson, who is in the final year of his contract and could become a free agent this summer.
The only details are the years and the price, which are not small things.
The parties negotiated all season, but no agreement was reached. Michael Scotto with Hoopshype contacted eight NBA executives from other teams to gauge what they think Thompson is worth and what the deal will look like. The responses have been interesting, but no one expects him to be anywhere other than San Francisco next season.
Three executives thought Thompson would receive between $18 million and $20 million per year, and the other five predicted he would receive between $20 million and $25 million per year. Four executives thought Golden State would ideally try to align Thompson with fellow “Splash Brother” Curry on a two-year deal. Green, meanwhile, has a player option for the 2026-27 season.
Draymond Green signed a four-year, $100 million contract to stay with the Warriors last summer (as noted, the final year is an option for players). The conventional wisdom around the league was that Golden State wanted to do something along those lines for the three-year, $70-75 million Thompson, although it’s unclear what was officially offered.
This season hasn’t been easy for Thompson as he came face to face with his mortality in basketball, but ultimately accepted and thrived as a sixth man this season. That same sentiment could impact these negotiations, as one executive told Hoopshype.
“I see him at around $18 million to $20 million a year,” one NBA executive told HoopsHype. “I’m not sure he will accept that because he sees himself much higher. If all offers are equal, I think he will return to Golden State. I feel like his relationship with Steph and being able to play in the same place is important to him.
While Orlando and other teams are rumored to be interested.They’re not going to offer Thompson more money or years at this point in his career, which is why a return to the Warriors makes the most sense for everyone: Thompson, the Warriors, even Rocco. Eventually it will be done.
