A sad piece of news might be just around the corner for the Dub Nation. The Big Three of the Golden State Warriors may be on the verge of breaking out. Although there is no official confirmation of it yet, the likelihood of this happening, considering the mood around the franchise, is high. However, there is one person who can stop this from happening, Klay Thompson himself.
The Warriors recently had a setback with their “big brother” announcing retirement. However, as the story around Thompson’s contract unfolds, it isn’t looking very good for the franchise. The primary reason behind this conflict is the contract extension and the surrounding negotiations.
Klay Thompson’s contract extension
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Thompson has been an important part of the Warriors squad for years. He is among the very few athletes who remained with the club that drafted them. The Warriors brought in the 33-year-old in the 2011 NBA draft as an 11th-overall pick.
Since then, Thompson has stayed at the club, showing loyalty alongside his Splash Brother Stephen Curry. The 5x All-Star signed an extension contract with the Golden State franchise back in 2019, worth a whopping $189.9 million. This contract was going to run throughout 2023 and end in the summer of 2024. Now, the time has finally arrived.
The franchise and their star player have been in the crosshairs recently over his extension contract. As per several reports, the amount that Thompson is asking for is proving to be too much for the Warriors to manage. However, they still do wish to keep Thompson at the club and not break the Big Three.
Shams Charania of The Athletic recently reported that “there’s a significant gap” in the “years and money” that is being asked. It is also the one that the Warriors are willing to adhere to. This is creating a situation where Thompson will end up as a free agent next summer.
Reporting on @RunItBackFDTV: There’s a significant gap in extension negotiations for Golden State and Klay Thompson, league sources say, as current signs point to the four-time champion going into 2024 free agency. pic.twitter.com/0U0wSXo0hR
? Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 23, 2023
Charania also said that the inability of the Warriors is due to multiple Steph and Draymond Green fees that they have paid. However, if Thompson manages to put on a show next season, the Warriors will be bound to keep him.
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Klay Thompson can rake in close to $300 million with one move
Although the situation is tight right now, Thompson is in a position to bring in over $288 million next summer. For that, he’ll have to go into free agency next summer, and having put forth a strong case for himself, backed by a good season performance, he can resign with the Warriors as a free agent. This will fetch him an estimated $288,260,000 in a five-year contract.
Read More: Kevin Durant On Missing Out On History With The Warriors: ?I Think About That Often?
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With the new season just around the corner, Thompson has got something to prove and if he does, it’ll be a treat for his fans.
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