To say Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors have been struggling is an understatement. After beginning the 2023-24 season with a 6-2 record, the Warriors have lost seven of their last nine games, including a span where they had lost six consecutive games. While Stephen Curry has continued to play at an MVP-like level, Thompson's struggles have been well-documented.
Through 16 games, Klay is averaging just 15.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting 40.2 percent from the floor and 36.7 percent from three-point range, all of which are well below his averages from a season ago.
So, what is going on with Thompson and should the Warriors be concerned about his overall production?
At 33 years old and having to battle back from an ACL and Achilles tear in back-to-back seasons, Klay is definitely not the same player he once was. Not only could these injuries finally be catching up to the veteran guard, but he has also been dealing with the stress of contract negotiations.
Thompson is set to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason and there has been no progress made in contract talks with the Warriors to this point. According to ESPN's Kendra Andrews, Klay's slow start to the season is attributed to his contract negotiations weighing on him.
Compared to years past, Thompson just looks frustrated and out of sync on the offensive end of the court, putting too much pressure on himself to hit every single shot he takes.
Arguably the second-best three-point shooter of all-time behind Curry, Thompson is more than capable of breaking out of his recent shooting slump on any given night. Most recently, Klay scored a season-high 23 points against the Phoenix Suns on 6-of-10 shooting from deep.
However, the fact that Thompson has only scored over 20 points in two games this season is definitely concerning for the Warriors. Every player around the league is always looking to play at a higher level when they are in a contract year, hence where added pressure comes from. For Thompson, this may be his last chance to fully cash in on his career accomplishments in a new contract.
When players start thinking like that and believing this to be true, they are taken out of their daily routines. The focus for Thompson appears to be on everything but himself during games, which is a leading cause for his early season struggles.
Thompson and the Warriors will be back in action on Tuesday night when they hit the road to once again take on the Sacramento Kings in their final in-season tournament group stage game.
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