The Golden State Warriors lost to the Sacramento Kings in the NBA Play-In Tournament on Tuesday by a final score of 118-94. Could Tuesday's contest be the final game for Klay Thompson in a Warriors uniform? Warriors head coach Steve Kerr wants the veteran guard to return to Golden State.
“We need Klay back,” Kerr said after the loss, via Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “I know he had a tough night tonight. But what he represents for us, the spacing. You know, we're not a deep shooting team. We're a little top-heavy. Klay's presence means so much to the spacing on the floor, to the flow of the offense. He's still got good years left. I know I speak for everybody in the organization, we want him back.
“Obviously there's business at hand. That has to be addressed with Klay's representatives and Mike (Dunleavy) and Joe (Lacob). But what Klay has meant to this franchise, as good as he still is, we desperately want him back.”
Thompson has been one of the most important pieces to the puzzle throughout the Warriors dynasty. With that being said, he certainly struggled on Tuesday against the Kings. Thompson went 0-6 from beyond the arc and 0-10 from the field en route to a scoreless performance.
Warriors want Klay Thompson back
Steve Kerr said the Warriors “desperately” want Thompson to return. He also mentioned that the business side of things will obviously play a role as Thompson prepares for free agency.
Thompson may not be the same All-Star player he once was, but he is a proven veteran who has been on winning teams. As a result, he will likely draw interest in free agency.
Stephen Curry addressed the possibility of the Warriors big three, Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green, potentially breaking up if Klay were to leave in free agency.
“I can never see myself not with those two guys,” Curry said after the game, via Ben Golliver of The Washington Post. “I understand this league changes and there’s so many things that go into it… I know they want to win and I want to win. That’s all I’m worried about.”
It would feel strange to see Klay Thompson in a different uniform. The 34-year-old has spent his entire career with the Warriors. He's played a crucial role in four championships during that span, making five All-Star teams along the way. Thompson is also regarded as one of the best three-point shooters of all-time.
Recency bias may lead to uncertainty given Thompson's difficult play-in game, but he quietly had a productive campaign overall. Again, it was not indicative of his previous All-Star prowess, but it was respectable nonetheless. Thompson finished the 2023-24 season averaging 17.9 points per game on 43.2 percent field goal and 38.7 percent three-point shooting. He also led the league by shooting 92.7 percent from the free throw line.
There are no guarantees as to what Klay Thompson's future in the NBA has in store. The Warriors are clearly open to re-signing the veteran, though.
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