The Warriors and Klay Thompson are on the same page: Both want to agree to a contract extension, ideally getting a deal done before the season starts.
That doesn’t mean the sides are feeling rushed. While there have been discussions, Thompson and the Warriors have not even exchanged offers, reports Anthony Slater at The Athletic.
Here’s where it stands: No official offers or counteroffers have been made from either side, according to league sources who were granted anonymity so that they could speak freely. No exact salary numbers have been floated. There isn’t a rush from either side, and there isn’t a deadline. It could theoretically be done in-season, though I’d expect serious discussions (and perhaps an agreement) to come before that.
Thompson is set to make $43.2 million this season in the final year of his contract. The Warriors want to keep their championship core together and Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green (he of the new four-year, $100 million extension) are all locked up for this season and two beyond it. The Warriors want Thompson on a similar timeline, and the addition of Chris Paul — whose $30 million contract for next season is not guaranteed — gives them the flexibility to keep Thompson with the only team he’s ever known.
The question is, what is the salary number that brings Thompson back and keeps both sides happy? The Athletic crunched the numbers and if CP3 is allowed to walk for nothing they can retain Thompson at about what he makes now or a little more (depending on how much the cap goes up and other factors). Except Thompson did not look like a $40 million a year player last season. Thompson is still valuable and averaged 21.9 points per game and shot 41.2% from 3 last season, but following a couple of devastating injuries (ACL and Achilles) he was not the same shot creator or defender. Considering the Warriors are committed to staying under the second luxury tax apron in the future, GM Mike Dunlevy and company may try to talk Thompson into taking less per year for the security of three or four years. Thompson may want to wait this out a little, impress in training camp — the Warriors need him to take a step forward if they are going to contend this season — and then talk numbers.
While this process has moved slowly, is there any doubt the Warriors and Thompson won’t get a deal done? It’s hard to imagine him in any other jersey, and it looks like we will not have to.