NBA Execs Predict Klay Thompson Will Return to Warriors, Reveal Contract Projections

Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekFeatured Columnist IVMarch 8, 2024

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images

Klay Thompson is a Golden State Warriors legend and has been with the franchise his entire career.

The belief around the league is that won’t change even with the sharp-shooter scheduled for free agency this offseason.

Seven of the eight NBA executives Michael Scotto of HoopsHype talked with predicted the Warriors will re-sign Thompson this offseason. Three of them believe he will receive between $18-20 million annually, while the other five expected more in the $20-25 million range.

“Klay’s not going anywhere,” one NBA executive said. “The Warriors can’t let him walk. He’s a four-time champion, and they can’t really replace him. At some point, if a player isn’t getting the job done and still wants to play as he gets older, you’d come off the bench, and he’s doing that while playing better.”

While Thompson, 34, isn’t the same player he was earlier in his career before significant ACL and Achilles injuries, there is something to be said for keeping one of the most important players in franchise history.

He is a four-time champion and five-time All-Star who, along with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, made up the core of the NBA’s most recent dynasty.

Thompson has also settled into a bench role and has provided a spark with the secondary unit for a Warriors squad that is 12-4 in the last 16 games and starting to look like a true threat in the Western Conference.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Thompson remained in that bench role and continued to anchor the secondary unit on a new contract next season and beyond.