SUMMARY
- Klay Thompson admits to have dealt with several struggles this season.
- Thompson wants to continue playing for the Warriors but also takes his mental health seriously.
Klay Thompson was recently interviewed by his fellow Golden State Warriors teammate and asked to share his feelings over his current contract situation and role on his team. As the majority of NBA fans should be aware, Thompson is the shooting guard for the Warriors and is arguably one of the top shooters in the history of the league.
As it goes with NBA players, Thompson was offered a contract extension last year. However, he chose to reject it and bet on his play for this season. When appearing as a guest on a podcast conducted by Draymond Green, Klay revealed that there were a lot more issues that he was dealing with throughout this season.
Steve Kerr convinced Klay Thompson to stay focused on the present
Since the Warriors have already gone deep into the luxury tax and doled out massive contracts to members on their roster, one can certainly understand why they were unable to offer Klay as much as he may have expected. Considering that Thompson likely believed he was still worth more, one can only imagine the pressure he entered this season under.
The Warriors star later revealed that this pressure forced him to retreat inside a shell and that it took several conversations with GSW coach Steve Kerr in order for him to stay focused.
“I just can’t believe it’s here. Like in your mid-20s it’s so crazy you think you gonna play forever really. I was actually struggling with that a lot at the beginning of this year because of the unknown…I might have let contract situations or playing time or making up a lot of excuses rather than appreciating just what was in front of me. It took me and Steve like 4 real heart-to-heart talks to finally break my shell...”
“Yes, I wanna re-sign with the [Warriors], but I also have to prioritize my mental health and lay out what’s important to me at this point in my career.”
Klay Thompson on the upcoming free agency 🗣️
(via @TheVolumeSports)pic.twitter.com/mYJaCB8bvi
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 9, 2024
Thompson continued, “I gotta have fun this year I deserve to have fun. I can still be a heck of a player if I just give gratitude and keep that perspective like I’m here ballin…It’s insane that when it comes to free agency in July I just gotta keep that in mind like…Yes, I wanna resign with the Dubs but I also have to prioritize my mental health and lay out what’s important to me at this point in my career.”
There is no denying the validity of what the Warriors veteran broke down. All the pressure he has been dealing with this season likely took a toll on his mental health, which undoubtedly should be a priority for him at this point in time.
Will the Golden State Warriors offer Thompson a new contract this offseason?
Regardless of how far the Warriors go into the postseason, they are expected to offer Klay Thompson a new contract this offseason. The more important question is regarding the value of his contract and whether it will meet Klay’s expectations.