SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson bolted out of Golden 1 Center quickly Tuesday night in Sacramento, the wounds of another elimination loss too fresh to speak to reporters. He missed all 10 of his shots and scored zero points, a “a big old donut” he’d later call it, as his impending free agency looms over his head and the entire Golden State Warriors organization.
That made Thompson the star attraction for exit interviews Wednesday afternoon. He was the last of the players to talk and the voice everyone came to hear. Around 3 p.m. Pacific time — after meeting with Mike Dunleavy and Steve Kerr — Thompson strode into the room with a fat lip. It came from an elbow during the Sacramento Kings game and only added to the mood.
Thompson was peppered with a free-agency question right away.
“We don’t want to talk about the season first?” he shot back. “You want to talk about the future? There were a lot of games played, man. That was a pretty big accomplishment. What’s up with y’all not wanting to live in the present, bro? It’s ridiculous. Anyways, what was your question?”
Thompson was reminded why his future is such a relevant topic. He’s a franchise legend and local icon, playing 13 seasons and winning four titles for the same franchise. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Steve Kerr are all already under contract for at least two more seasons. Thompson’s contract is expiring. Extension talks haven’t gone anywhere. It’s a very realistic outcome to believe he will leave Golden State this summer, marking the end of an era.
“You know, I really haven’t given it much thought because what I previously just said about the season,” Thompson said. “I really haven’t thought that deep into the future because I still need to process the year we had. It was one filled with ups and downs, but ultimately, we — I personally and our team did everything we could to try and win as many games as we possibly could.”
The early exit provides an extra buffer before free agency, but the league moves swiftly. Thompson’s conversation with Kerr and Dunleavy on Wednesday was the first of what will surely be many important back-and-forths between Thompson, Kerr, Dunleavy, Curry, Green, Joe Lacob and Kirk Lacob in the weeks ahead.
“Wow, considering it’s April 17, I don’t think I have to pivot that quickly,” Thompson said. “When is free agency? July 1? Yeah, I got some time. I got some time.”
Most agents, front office staff and insiders know free agency doesn’t really begin July 1. It essentially ends. All the big decisions materialize behind the scenes in the lead-up. So this monumental choice for Thompson and the Warriors is coming at a more rapid pace than the outside world might believe. But nothing is near decided at this point. The league often reacts and shifts depending on what happens in the playoffs, which begin this weekend.
What are Thompson’s priorities?
“Obviously, you want to keep winning,” he said. “I mean, when you’ve been a part of winning seasons, you don’t really want to go away from that. So I would like to win again. One (championship ring) for the thumb would be nice. I still think it’s in reach. It’s just going to, yeah, take a huge effort. But other than that, just got to think about that, what will really make you happy in the last few years of your career.”
Kerr, Curry and Green all made it a point late Tuesday night to tell reporters they wanted Thompson to return and believed he would. Green said he felt the organization would pay what it takes because they always have, referring specifically to their giving Thompson a max deal in summer 2019 after he tore his ACL in the last game of the NBA Finals.
“Oh, man,” Thompson said. “Well, 2019, could you imagine if they didn’t pay me after I got hurt? That would have been really bad. Like, ‘Oh, went to five straight finals, you blew your knee out, yeah, sorry.’ So, no, I mean, that was very nice of them. Every year I give my best effort. And the ownership group has been great. I have nothing but positive things to say about them. They treat us like, they treat us with great respect and do all the little things for us to do our jobs at the highest level. So, it’s been, I mean, I don’t really know how to answer that. I mean, it’s up to them, but at the end of the day whatever happens, it’s all gravy. It’s been such a freaking special run.”
Here is a video of most of those answers. His body language is always telling.
Here are Klay Thompson’s free agency related answers today
“What’s up with y’all not wanting to live in the present? Ridiculous.”
“Well, considering it’s April 17th, I don’t have to pivot that quickly. When’s free agency? July 1st? I got some time.” pic.twitter.com/G7FFlefdnL
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 17, 2024
Here are a few other relevant notes from exit interviews.
Jonathan Kuminga
Kuminga is extension eligible this summer. He is under contract for $7.6 million next season regardless, but the Warriors could avoid restricted free agency the next summer if they agree to a deal. Those talks don’t usually heat up until October.
“Oh, wow, I never, I didn’t even think of that,” Kuminga said. “That’s just something I think my agent is going to be working on it. Right now I’m just going to focus on my mental and my body and everything will handle itself.”
As for his future with the Warriors, Kuminga said “I love it here.”
Jonathan Kuminga is extension eligible this summer: “Oh, wow. I didn’t even think of that.”
On his future: “I love it here.” pic.twitter.com/I0i5gGwMAo
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 17, 2024
Kuminga was asked his biggest area of growth this season and said communication, an obvious reference to the rocky moments he had handling his limited playing time before finally having a hard conversation with Kerr.
“Sometimes people don’t know you if you don’t speak,” Kuminga said. “Sometimes people don’t know what’s going on in your mind if you don’t actually get to see it. I don’t know what’s going on in my coaches’ mind if I don’t get to ask them questions and questions is communication. It’s the same way as you guys here asking me questions about everything or about basketball or about my life. Y’all wouldn’t know if I didn’t communicate with you guys. I think that’s the biggest thing. That’s pretty much what I had to do and learn and just be myself and find a way to communicate with my teammates, my coaches.”
Andrew Wiggins
Wiggins is 29 but just finished the worst offensive season of his career. The former 23-point-per-game scorer averaged 13.2 points this season, more than 3 points lower than his previous career low. It came on his worst field goal percentage (45.3 percent) in five seasons and 3-point percentage (35.8 percent) in four seasons.
“My season was not too good,” Wiggins said. “Not great. I feel like I started picking it up the second half of the season. But the first half wasn’t too good. Team-wise I feel like we were really good the second half of the season. We were figuring stuff out. But it’s unfortunate that it had to end this way.”
Wiggins has three years and $84.5 million left on his contract. He’s a trade candidate this summer. The Warriors explored deals involving Wiggins before the deadline in February.
“I take care of what I can take care of,” Wiggins said. “What’s out of my control, I don’t worry about it. All I can do is work hard, train hard and do what I can do.”
Brandin Podziemski
The Warriors rookie plans to play in NBA Summer League, believing a higher-usage on-ball role will get him better prepared for next season.
“Naturally my role is going to increase,” Podziemski said. “I think the ball will be in my hands a little bit more and just being more efficient, trying to take the burden off Steph and Draymond’s shoulders. How can the rest of our guys just impact things. I think a lot of times when we got into games that really mattered or we really need to win, we kind of just deferred to Steph.”
Brandin Podziemski on his expectations next season: “Naturally my role will increase. I think the ball will be in my hands a little bit more. Just being more efficient, trying to take the burden off Steph and Draymond’s shoulders.”
He plans to play in summer league pic.twitter.com/S6fPfovpbl
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 17, 2024
Trayce Jackson-Davis
Jackson-Davis also said he will compete in at least part of summer league and mentioned several areas he’d like to improve.
“When we actually talked, Coach mentioned (Domantas) Sabonis’ name (as a comparison),” Jackson-Davis said. “I think just the force that he plays with the dribble handoffs, stuff of that nature. He might attempt one 3 a game, but that’s not necessarily who he is as a player. It’s definitely something that I want to expand on. The free throws, going in practice and knocking them down, I have to translate that over. I think the free throws and then being able to catch-and-shoot 3.”
Jackson-Davis also mentioned the defensive end of the floor and the need to expand his versatility.
Trayce Jackson-Davis mentioned his defensive versatility as an area he’d like to expand this offseason: “Being able to switch. Guard guards.”
He profiles as the Warriors’ likely starting center next season. He said he’d like to play in summer league. pic.twitter.com/EvU0XYP6mD
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 17, 2024
Gary Payton II
Payton only appeared in 44 of 82 games this season, dealing with a variety of ailments that kept him out at key moments, including a deactivation for the Kings elimination game Tuesday night because of a second calf strain this season.
“It was frustrating to sit there and watch, can’t do anything,” Payton said. “But just gave me motivation, just drove me to take care of my body better this summer and just come back and be ready for 82 next summer.”
Payton has one season left on his deal, a $9.1 million player option that he’s expected to either exercise or leverage into getting a longer-term deal at perhaps a lower annual value.
“I would love to come back and run it back,” Payton said. “Better yet, just redo my whole deal and stay here for a little bit longer. We’ll figure it out.”
Kevon Looney
Looney is owed $8 million next season, but only $3 million of it is guaranteed, leaving him vulnerable to a salary-slashing move that would send him to free agency and end his nine-year tenure with the Warriors.
“I’m not always in control of my future here,” Looney said. “Like, I would love to come back, be part of this team, part of this organization. That’s all I kind of know. But it’s the NBA. When you don’t make the playoffs, you lose, stuff usually happens. So I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I should be prepared for the next step.”
(Top photo: Tyler Ross / NBAE via Getty Images)