Klay Thompson could be leaving sooner than Warriors fans would hope
After a disappointing season that saw the Warriors miss the playoffs for the third time in five years, the Bay Area team, led by Steph Curry, is facing the potential breakup of their championship trio consisting of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. This trio has achieved four titles in 11 years together, reaching six finals and holding the best regular season record for a team with 73 wins and 9 losses when Kevin Durant was on the team.
The negative results of this season and Klay’s underperformance, particularly in the play-in game against the Kings where the sharpshooter scored 0 points, missing all 10 shots he attempted, have raised concerns. Following that game, coach Steve Kerr expressed the team’s desire for Klay to return, saying, “We need Klay back. I know he had a tough night tonight.” Klay is now set to become a free agent after the termination of his contract and it doesn’t look like he will top his All-Star level again.
However, rumors have emerged that seem to indicate Klay’s departure from the Warriors. Insider Shams Charania reported that Klay and the recently eliminated Orlando Magic, have shown mutual interest in making a deal in free agency. The Magic, a young team, secured their first playoff spot since 2020 and have the resources to bolster their offense and add experienced players, as they are the fifth youngest team in the league and the youngest to enter the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.
Klay is optimistic about his form next season
Despite these rumors, Klay recently stated, “They will see a whole new Klay next season. I still have four rings. Why can’t I be MVP of the league and be an All-Star?” well maybe because the downgrade from the last two years or the tight competition that exists in the league today where younger players are taking over.
Whether these rumors of his departure are true remains to be seen, it is certain that the number “11”, picked 11th in the 2011 draft, will be retired by the Warriors once Klay is gone from the league.
Klay’s tenure with the Warriors has been marked by several records in the NBA, including:
- most three-pointers in a game (14) in 2018.
- the longest streak of consecutive three-pointers made (10) in 2019.
- most points in a quarter (37) in 2015.
- most field goals made in a quarter (13) in 2015.
- most three-pointers made in a quarter (9) in 2015.
