SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson headed to the bench with 2:13 remaining of their play-in recreation towards the Sacramento Kings, his head hung low. He made a spherical of hugs with workforce trainers and teammates earlier than he took his seat. After the ultimate buzzer sounded, he took a second earlier than exiting the courtroom to look again on the Kings lighting the beam.
It was presumably Thompson’s final recreation with the Warriors.
The 118-94 loss to the Kings despatched Golden State into its earliest offseason in three years. And it despatched Thompson into unrestricted free company.
“We’d like Klay again,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr stated after the sport. “He is nonetheless acquired good years left. And I do know I converse for everyone within the group: We would like him again. … What Klay has meant to this franchise and nearly as good as he nonetheless is, we desperately need him again.”
Thompson did not converse after the sport, however at shootaround seven hours earlier than tipoff, he stated it wasn’t tough to maintain the ideas of free company out of his thoughts as he completed the season.
“That is life,” Thompson stated. “Had a lot success right here, I am not going to let no matter future occurs make me salty about what I have been capable of accomplish in a Warriors uniform. I do not let that seep in in any respect.”
Thompson’s season finale left quite a bit to be desired, as he was held scoreless on 0-for-10 taking pictures, together with 0-for-6 from 3. It was simply the fifth time in Thompson’s profession he failed to attain. It was his second time beneath Kerr, however the different was when he was ejected 1:43 right into a Nov. 23 recreation towards the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It was a efficiency Kerr stated was powerful to observe Thompson undergo.
“I’ve watched him the final couple years preventing the sensation of devastation from accidents and I watched him this season flip his season round,” Kerr stated. “I noticed him benefit from the second half of the season and play with just a little extra freedom and pleasure, so tonight was powerful to see him battle.”
Thompson entered Tuesday’s play-in recreation coming off what he known as the “finest stretch of basketball of the 12 months.” By the final 4½ weeks of the common season, Thompson was second on the workforce in scoring, averaging 21.2 factors on 48.1% area aim taking pictures and 41.2% from 3.
The 77 video games he performed had been his most because the 2018-19 season — earlier than he tore an ACL and an Achilles.
“It is about commending him on a hell of a 12 months,” Stephen Curry stated. “Everybody goes to speak about one recreation, and I do know he wished to do higher. We undergo a lot over 82 video games, and the truth that he was capable of flip his season round with a brand new position and adjusting … simply actually having enjoyable taking part in basketball and being at peace on the market with all of it, I am extra anxious about that.”
Conversations for a brand new deal stalled between Thompson and the group because the season started within the fall. They by no means actually restarted through the season, however there wasn’t a lot concern over it because the Warriors navigated their ups and downs, Inexperienced’s suspensions, the demise of assistant coach Dejan Milojevic and Thompson working his method out of his private funk.
However sources informed ESPN that there wasn’t a lot reassurance through the season that the 2 events would undoubtedly work out a decision. That’s what rubbed Thompson the fallacious method.
Nonetheless, Inexperienced continues to be assured a brand new deal can be reached.
“[Klay is] going to make the very best choice for him, the workforce’s acquired a call to make they usually’ll make the very best choice for the workforce. … I do not assume there’s any state of affairs the place Klay leaves and that is the very best choice for this workforce and group,” Inexperienced stated. “[The organization] has proven nothing however respect, loyalty, love and belief. I’ve acquired no motive to assume, oh man, they don’t seem to be going to do proper by Klay.
“I’ve no motive to assume that our possession group is not going to handle us the best way now we have taken care of this group.”
Inexperienced is beneath contract with the Warriors till the 2025-26 season, with a participant choice for 2026-27. Curry’s and Kerr’s offers have them with the workforce till by means of the 2025-26 season.
Thompson’s need is to make a deal that aligns with the remainder of the Warriors’ dynastic core, sources informed ESPN.
“I do not assume there’s any state of affairs the place Klay leaves and that is the very best choice for this workforce and group. (The group) has proven nothing however respect, loyalty, love and belief. I’ve acquired no motive to assume, oh man, they don’t seem to be going to do proper by Klay. I’ve no motive to assume that our possession group is not going to handle us the best way now we have taken care of this group.”
Draymond Inexperienced
“I might by no means see myself not with these two guys,” Curry stated. “I perceive this league adjustments and there are such a lot of issues that go into it and we’re not going to play ceaselessly, however we have skilled a lot collectively and on the finish of the day I do know they wish to win, I do know I wish to win, and that is all I am anxious about.”
Having their season lower brief by a Kings workforce that exhibited “complete domination” was described as a horrible feeling, irritating and upsetting.
So, alongside the need to maintain that group collectively is an understanding that adjustments need to be made for the Warriors to get again in competition in a particularly crowded Western Convention.
“That is life. That is the way it works. You aren’t getting to remain on high ceaselessly,” Kerr stated. “We have got an offseason the place we have got quite a bit to consider.”
However Curry stated it was too early to pinpoint what precisely wants to alter.
“It is uncooked proper now,” he stated. “I am simply determining if I wish to watch the playoffs or not. On April 16, that is unfamiliar territory. … I simply wish to win. No matter which means, I wish to win.”
