Warriors lobby for Klay Thompson’s return after play-in loss

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson headed to the bench with 2:13 remaining of their play-in recreation towards the Sacramento Kings, his head hung low. He made a spherical of hugs with workforce trainers and teammates earlier than he took his seat. After the ultimate buzzer sounded, he took a second earlier than exiting the courtroom to look again on the Kings lighting the beam.

It was presumably Thompson’s final recreation with the Warriors.

The 118-94 loss to the Kings despatched Golden State into its earliest offseason in three years. And it despatched Thompson into unrestricted free company.

“We need Klay back,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr stated after the sport. “He’s still got good years left. And I know I speak for everybody in the organization: We want him back. … What Klay has meant to this franchise and as good as he still is, we desperately want him back.”

Thompson did not communicate after the sport, however at shootaround seven hours earlier than tipoff, he stated it wasn’t troublesome to maintain the ideas of free company out of his thoughts as he completed the season.

“That’s life,” Thompson stated. “Had so much success here, I’m not going to let whatever future happens make me salty about what I’ve been able to accomplish in a Warriors uniform. I don’t let that seep in at all.”

Thompson’s season finale left quite a bit to be desired, as he was held scoreless on 0-for-10 capturing, together with 0-for-6 from 3. It was simply the fifth time in Thompson’s profession he failed to attain. It was his second time beneath Kerr, however the different was when he was ejected 1:43 right into a Nov. 23 recreation towards the Minnesota Timberwolves.

It was a efficiency Kerr stated was robust to look at Thompson undergo.

“I’ve watched him the last couple years fighting the feeling of devastation from injuries and I watched him this season flip his season around,” Kerr stated. “I saw him enjoy the second half of the season and play with a little more freedom and joy, so tonight was tough to see him struggle.”

Thompson entered Tuesday’s play-in recreation coming off what he referred to as the “best stretch of basketball of the year.” Through the final 4½ weeks of the common season, Thompson was second on the workforce in scoring, averaging 21.2 factors on 48.1% area objective capturing and 41.2% from 3.

The 77 video games he performed have been his most because the 2018-19 season — earlier than he tore an ACL and an Achilles.

“It’s about commending him on a hell of a year,” Stephen Curry stated. “Everyone is going to talk about one game, and I know he wanted to do better. We go through so much over 82 games, and the fact that he was able to turn his season around with a new role and adjusting … just really having fun playing basketball and being at peace out there with it all, I’m more worried about that.”

Conversations for a brand new deal stalled between Thompson and the group because the season started within the fall. They by no means actually restarted throughout the season, however there wasn’t a lot concern over it because the Warriors navigated their ups and downs, Green’s suspensions, the demise of assistant coach Dejan Milojevic and Thompson working his method out of his private funk.

But sources instructed ESPN that there wasn’t a lot reassurance throughout the season that the 2 events would undoubtedly work out a decision. That is what rubbed Thompson the incorrect method.

However, Green continues to be assured a brand new deal will probably be reached.

“[Klay is] going to make the best decision for him, the team’s got a decision to make and they’ll make the best decision for the team. … I don’t think there’s any scenario where Klay leaves and that’s the best decision for this team and organization,” Green stated. “[The organization] has shown nothing but respect, loyalty, love and trust. I’ve got no reason to think, oh man, they’re not going to do right by Klay.

“I’ve no motive to suppose that our possession group is not going to maintain us the way in which we’ve got taken care of this group.”

Green is under contract with the Warriors until the 2025-26 season, with a player option for 2026-27. Curry’s and Kerr’s deals have them with the team until through the 2025-26 season.

Thompson’s desire is to make a deal that aligns with the rest of the Warriors’ dynastic core, sources told ESPN.

“I do not suppose there’s any state of affairs the place Klay leaves and that is the most effective determination for this workforce and group. (The group) has proven nothing however respect, loyalty, love and belief. I’ve obtained no motive to suppose, oh man, they don’t seem to be going to do proper by Klay. I’ve no motive to suppose that our possession group is not going to maintain us the way in which we’ve got taken care of this group.”

Draymond Green

“I could never see myself not with those two guys,” Curry stated. “I understand this league changes and there are so many things that go into it and we’re not going to play forever, but we’ve experienced so much together and at the end of the day I know they want to win, I know I want to win, and that’s all I’m worried about.”

Having their season lower brief by a Kings workforce that exhibited “total domination” was described as a horrible feeling, irritating and upsetting.

So, alongside the need to maintain that group collectively is an understanding that modifications should be made for the Warriors to get again in competition in an especially crowded Western Conference.

“This is life. This is how it works. You don’t get to stay on top forever,” Kerr stated. “We’ve got an offseason where we’ve got a lot to think about.”

But Curry stated it was too early to pinpoint what precisely wants to alter.

“It’s raw right now,” he stated. “I’m just figuring out if I want to watch the playoffs or not. On April 16, this is unfamiliar territory. … I just want to win. Whatever that means, I want to win.”