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Kendra Andrews, ESPN
SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State guard Klay Thompson didn’t want to spend too much time thinking about his future during his exit interview on Wednesday, just one day after the Warriors’ season came to an abrupt end — and just one day after he possibly played his final game for the team as he heads into free agency this summer.
“Considering it’s April 17th, I don’t think I have to pivot that quickly,” Thompson said. “When is free agency? July 1st? Yeah, I got some time. I got some time.”
Perhaps Thompson hasn’t thought much about who he will be playing for next season, but his teammates Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have thought about what it would be like if Thompson wasn’t to return.
Following their loss to the Sacramento Kings in the play-in tournament, Curry said he couldn’t imagine not playing alongside Thompson, while Green said there isn’t “any scenario where Klay leaves and that’s the best decision for this team and organization.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr simply declared they needed Thompson back.
“It means a lot,” Thompson said about his teammate’s and coach’s sentiments. “I mean, we’ve been through the highest of highs and lows. Whether it’s losing a championship, winning a championship, missing the playoffs, we’ve been through everything together, so that does mean a lot. It makes me grateful to have the times I’ve had with them. Like, that was pretty historic stuff.”
Thompson’s season of evolution has now concluded. After a slow start to the regular season, Thompson was sent to the second unit one game ahead of the All-Star break. He then went on to put together what he categorized as his best basketball of the season through the final three months, earning his starting spot back.
Through all of that, Thompson said the biggest lesson he learned this season was to not be a “frontrunner” — not shying away from bad moments and just embracing the great ones, something he has done in the past.
It helped inform him of his greatest priority moving forward.
“(I) want to keep winning,” Thompson 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 for the thumb would be nice. I still think it’s in reach … other than that, just got to think about that, what will really make you happy in the last few years of your career.”
The question for Thompson through free agency: Can he accomplish that somewhere other than Golden State? A source told ESPN that Thompson values winning more than monetary compensation, so as long as the Warriors find ways to show their appreciation for Thompson — whether it be money or something else — he would likely stay in the Bay Area.
On Tuesday, Draymond Green said he was confident the organization would find the right way to take care of Thompson, just like it has for all of the other pillars of the Warriors’ dynastic core.
When asked if he felt the ownership group has shown him that effort, Thompson said he wasn’t sure how to answer the question.
“Every year I give my best effort. And the ownership group has been great. I have nothing but positive things to say about them,” Thompson said. “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.”
There is a desire for any new contract Thompson strikes with the Warriors to align him with the two years remaining on Curry and Kerr’s deal.
As for if this would be the last contract of Thompson’s career?
“Maybe,” he said. “I don’t know. When that time comes, I mean I’m not trying to put an expiration date on my career. That’s kind of something you just go by feel.”
Source: www.espn.com