“Any scenario where Klay leaves”: Draymond Green nails down the hammer on Klay Thompson’s free agency
Klay Thompson's future in a Golden State Warriors uniform is now up in the air as he hits free agency this offseason. But for fellow veteran teammate Draymond Green, the ideal scenario for the five-time NBA All-Star is to stay put in the Bay Area and finish his illustrious career with the only team he has been with for 13 years.
The No. 10 Warriors saw their 2023-24 season come to an end on Tuesday, after losing to No. 9 Sacramento Kings, 118-94, in their win-or-go-home Play-In Tournament game.
Thompson had a rough shooting night – to say the least – in what could be his final game as a Golden State player, going scoreless in 31 minutes of play. He went 0-of-10 from the field and 0-of-6 from 3, with zero attempts from the free-throw line. "KT", however, had four rebounds and an assist.
Speaking after their season ended, Draymond Green spoke about Klay Thompson's free agency, with whom he shares the veteran core of the Warriors along with NBA superstar Steph Curry.
Green highlighted that the team is better off re-signing the 34-year-old former No. 11 pick (2011), saying, as shared on X/Twitter by ESPN NBA reporter Kendra Andrews:
"They'll make the decision that's best for the team ... I don't think there's any scenario where Klay leaves and that's the best decision for the team."
This season is the final year of the five-year, $189.9 million contract Klay Thompson signed with Golden State in 2019. He was offered a two-year, $48-million extension last summer but turned it down and expressed his intention to weigh his options first. He is set to join free agency now that the Warriors' season ended at the hands of Sacramento.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr says Klay Thompson can still help the team for years to come
Just like Draymond Green, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr wants Klay Thompson to stay as a Warrior, believing he still has good years left in him to help the team.
Asked in the postgame press conference for his thoughts on one of their veterans leaving the team in the offseason, Kerr said he is hoping against it and wants Thompson back.
Kerr, who signed a lucrative two-year, $35-million extension through the course of this season, said:
"We need Klay back... What he represents for us is spacing. We are not a deep shooting team or a little top-heavy. Klay's presence means so much to the spacing and the flow of the offense. He still has good years left... We want him back. There's business at hand and that has to be addressed ... [But] we desperately want him back."
Klay Thompson has spent all of his 13 years in the NBA to date with the Warriors, helping the team win four NBA titles. He has been a five-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA Team member (2015 and 2016) and one-time All-Defensive Team member (2019).
For his Golden State career, he has averaged 19.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and a 41.3% shooting clip from beyond the arc.