Warriors Want Klay Thompson to Sign Contract amid Rumors Star Eyes NBA Free Agency

As Klay Thompson continues to weigh his options ahead of free agency, the Golden State Warriors are still trying to convince the five-time All-Star they want to keep him.

Speaking to reporters during a pre-draft press conference, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. made it clear they "want him back" when talking about Thompson's future.

"I think being reasonable and rational, that's always how I'm going to operate but to say about a guy like Klay Thompson, who's meant so much to this franchise, to completely strip the emotion away from it, I think that's almost impossible," Dunleavy said.

There is growing speculation that Thompson will likely leave the only NBA franchise he has ever played for when free agency opens on June 30. Andrews, citing sources, reported "he plans to test free agency before a decision is made."

The Athletic's Anthony Slater reported on Saturday that talks between Thompson and the Warriors are "essentially frozen" because they haven't had any productive talks recently.

Slater noted Golden State is "actively searching for paths to larger-scale upgrades" for the roster that would "significantly impact" what it can offer Thompson because the organization wants to get out of the second apron "and perhaps drop below the tax entirely."

The Warriors already made one significant contract decision on Monday. ESPN's Kendra Andrews reported they guaranteed Kevon Looney's $8 million salary for 2024-25, but his expiring contract could be used in a trade this summer.

Chris Paul, who has a $15.8 million partially-guaranteed salary that becomes fully guaranteed at $30 million if he is on the roster after June 28, could be the next big domino to fall for Golden State.

Thompson's future with the Warriors was a talking point throughout the season. He came off the bench in a game for the first time since his rookie season on Feb. 15 against the Utah Jazz.

Andrews reported after head coach Steve Kerr made the decision to bring Thompson off the bench that Thompson "yelled" at Kerr and some of the Warriors assistant coaches, but he later apologized to them.

One thing that could work in Golden State's favor is the market for Thompson might not be robust. Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer reported last week on the Ball Don't Lie podcast (starts at 55:40 mark) the Orlando Magic have only been willing to offer him a two-year contract.

The Magic have been cited as a potential landing spot for Thompson given their need for three-point shooting, but the physical limitations at this point in his career could drive his market down.

Thompson's 17.9 points per game last season were his fewest since the 2012-13 campaign. He shot 38.7 percent from three-point range on 9.0 attempts per game.

If the relationship between Thompson and the Warriors hasn't deteriorated to the point that he doesn't want to play for them anymore, it wouldn't be a surprise if they eventually find common ground on a contract that works for both sides.

Thompson has spent his entire career in Golden State after being selected with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2011 draft. He played a significant role in the franchise winning four titles in eight seasons from 2014-15 to 2021-22.