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Klay Thompson Rumors: Warriors to Offer Max Contract at Start of Free Agency
June 28, 2019
The Golden State Warriors are planning to offer Klay Thompson a five-year, $190 million max contract when free agency opens on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
According to the Los Angeles Times' Brad Turner, Thompson intended to meet with both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers if the Warriors did not make a max offer. Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Wednesday, though, that a "quick agreement" was expected to be reached should the full max be put on the table.
The 11th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft, Thompson has spent his entire eight-year career with Golden State and has been one of the keys to the franchise's historic run. He has made 200-plus three-pointers in seven consecutive seasons, providing a nice complement to two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry.
Thompson is coming off a season in which he averaged 21.5 points per game, overcoming a slow start to finish the year at 46.7 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from three-point range.
With Kevin Durant injured, Thompson stepped up in a big way to try to help the Warriors win their fourth title in five seasons. He averaged 26.0 points on 55.3 percent shooting, including 59.4 percent from beyond the arc, during the 2019 NBA Finals despite battling a hamstring injury.
As he looked to bring Golden State all the way back from a 3-1 series deficit, though, he was forced to leave Game 6 due to a torn ACL. The Warriors' bid for a three-peat came to an end as they lost Game 6 following Thompson's departure.
It marked the first major injury of Thompson's professional career, as he has never missed more than nine regular-season games. But even as he is expected to miss most of the 2019-20 campaign, the team appears willing to take care of the five-time All-Star.
Although Durant has not given any indication as to what he will do in free agency this summer, Thompson's camp has made no secret about his desire to remain in the Bay Area. Thompson himself told Mark Medina of the Bay Area News Group in February 2018 that he wants to be a Warrior for life.
Klay's dad, Mychal Thompson, told Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle earlier this month that there is "no question" his son will re-sign with Golden State, though he previously pointed out on 95.7 The Game that negotiations won't consist of much because "the money thing is basically set in stone."
In other words, they expect the max.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob told The Athletic's Tim Kawakami back in February that "nobody's going to outspend us." So if money is the only sticking point during negotiations, a deal figures to get done.